Greg Van Avermaet

[tomorrow]

Re:

this guy needs some prominence on the board. phenomenal last 9 months. phenomenal. beating Sagan at his own game.

As sagans main game currently is finishing second, I am afraid GVA is nowhere near beating sagan at his own game.

 

[del1962]

Ill so not racing today

 

[Bushman]

Re: Re:

And that's it... even stannard has more... he can't win wt cobbled classic

The discussion was about versatility, not palmares. GVA can do well in cobbled classics (podium PR, RVV, win Omloop) to hilly classics (top 10 LBL, close to winning San Sebastian before taken down by a motor).

Valverde has more wins in higher level races, sure, but GVA can easily rival him in terms of versatility, which is what the discussion was about........

Not sure I agree. Valverde has won Ardennes races, mountain stages, a GT, has won or podiumed reduced bunch sprints, even placed well in regular bunch sprints as well as tt's.

In terms of versatility, GVA doesnt come close to Sagan either

 

[jaylew]

Re: Re:

Call me when GVA wins a huge race.

I took a DeLorean and am calling you from October 6 2011.

So since it seems that Greg has more than one discussion thread (well deserved). I paste here what I said last year:

Van Avermaet deserves a lot more recognition from cycling fans than he has on CN (but well CN ...).

To me Greg epitomises fighting spirit, dedication and competitiveness while relatively lacking raw talent on an international scene. Sagan has a lot more talent than him but if he had Greg's professional conscientiousness, he would have twice his palmares by now. Greg is laughed at because he supposedly always loses (CNers forgot about the fact that he already won a classic and in a brilliant manner) but when he's nearly lost a race, he does not sit back/throw up his hands, he forgets and just focuses on the next race. Tomorrow is another day. And that's how his calendars regularly exceed 80 or even 90 days and that's how you'd see him on such diverse races as Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, even the Tour of Lombardy which he finished 12th. Even on the Amstel, what would have happened if he were allowed by his team to take his turn with Fuglsang instead of racing for Gilbert. He finished all of the 5 so-called "Monuments" in the first 12. That's quite amazing. When did we last have such a versatile rider?

I don't want to be chauvinistic but I like the current blend of Belgian riders, the generation 1985 to 1988: Van Avermaet, Roelandts, Vanmarcke... They don't win a lot but the

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13192&hilit=Van+Avermaet&start=40

I often disagree with Echoes, but he's spot on with his GVA take. That said, he really needs to pick up RVV or Roubaix this year. The time is right, the form is there, this should be his year.

 

[the delgados]

Re: Re:

Call me when GVA wins a huge race.

I took a DeLorean and am calling you from October 6 2011.

So since it seems that Greg has more than one discussion thread (well deserved). I paste here what I said last year:

Van Avermaet deserves a lot more recognition from cycling fans than he has on CN (but well CN ...).

To me Greg epitomises fighting spirit, dedication and competitiveness while relatively lacking raw talent on an international scene. Sagan has a lot more talent than him but if he had Greg's professional conscientiousness, he would have twice his palmares by now. Greg is laughed at because he supposedly always loses (CNers forgot about the fact that he already won a classic and in a brilliant manner) but when he's nearly lost a race, he does not sit back/throw up his hands, he forgets and just focuses on the next race. Tomorrow is another day. And that's how his calendars regularly exceed 80 or even 90 days and that's how you'd see him on such diverse races as Paris-Roubaix, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, even the Tour of Lombardy which he finished 12th. Even on the Amstel, what would have happened if he were allowed by his team to take his turn with Fuglsang instead of racing for Gilbert. He finished all of the 5 so-called "Monuments" in the first 12. That's quite amazing. When did we last have such a versatile rider?

I don't want to be chauvinistic but I like the current blend of Belgian riders, the generation 1985 to 1988: Van Avermaet, Roelandts, Vanmarcke... They don't win a lot but the

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=13192&hilit=Van+Avermaet&start=40

I often disagree with Echoes, but he's spot on with his GVA take. That said, he really needs to pick up RVV or Roubaix this year. The time is right, the form is there, this should be his year.

Agreed with everything you said. GVA is an awesome rider who knows how to animate a race and make it interesting. Also, the guy pops up in races year-round. I'm not into fandom, but GVA is an exception. I hope he wins Flanders.

 

[Billie]

Drank only 3 bidons and ate only 3 energy bars today as effect of his sickness friday. Very impressive how he went over the Kemmel. main problem for Greg there was the descent

 

[burning]

To be honest, I don't believe that at all. There is simply no way that one could even finish the race with only 3 bidons and bars.

 

[jmdirt]

OUCH! All that great fitness in a sling now.

 

[BalearicBeats]

Re:

OUCH! All that great fitness in a sling now.

I really hope he keeps his fitness level as high as it was and does AGR and Brabantse Pijl, two races he should be able to win!

 

[Billie]

Re: Re:

OUCH! All that great fitness in a sling now.

I really hope he keeps his fitness level as high as it was and does AGR and Brabantse Pijl, two races he should be able to win!

won't be possible with a broken collarbone. Will probably return to racing in de Ronde van Belgie.

Greg crying on the side of the road was an image i won't forget soon..

 

[jmdirt]

WOOHOO GVA!

 

[DFA123]

Such an incredible rider. Sitting out much of the spring could set him up for an incredible end to the season - stage hunting, San Sebastian and even the Olympics look realistic targets after this kind of performance.

 

[Carols]

Great Ride, Great Raid, Great Result! Nice guy too

 

[Dazed and Confused]

GvA takes it all today.

Please continue to take the big risks.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

I do fear the 9k climb at rio doesn't suit him at all. But at his current form, he might surprise us all!

 

[movingtarget]

Re:

I do fear the 9k climb at rio doesn't suit him at all. But at his current form, he might surprise us all!

He has a good gap but the time will disappear quickly if the GC riders go crazy. The stage GVA won was not an easy one but the mountains were not very hard ones compared to what is coming up and with the attacks are expected from the best GC riders. I think BMC would prefer to lose the yellow now as it won't help TJVG or Porte at all. The team does not want to work too hard early in the race. GVA will still be happy.

 

[sir fly]

He'll keep the jersey tomorrow.
We'll see how much care he'll receive from team on the Saturday. Tomorrow should be everybody for themselves, with domestiques there for TJ and Richie in a case of trouble. The others can gather around GVA after dropping.
But he'll get further than we expect.

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re:

He'll keep the jersey tomorrow.
We'll see how much care he'll receive from team on the Saturday. Tomorrow should be everybody for themselves, with domestiques there for TJ and Richie in a case of trouble. The others can gather around GVA after dropping.
But he'll get further than we expect.

Tbh, GVA should be working for TvG and LRP, not for himself to defend the jersey

 

[El Pistolero]

Re: Re:

He'll keep the jersey tomorrow.
We'll see how much care he'll receive from team on the Saturday. Tomorrow should be everybody for themselves, with domestiques there for TJ and Richie in a case of trouble. The others can gather around GVA after dropping.
But he'll get further than we expect.

Tbh, GVA should be working for TvG and LRP, not for himself to defend the jersey

And what can Greg do to help them? Nothing.

Greg shouldn't domestique once in this Tour as he's the best rider they have. How TjvG ever came to be the leader of one of the richest WT teams is beyond me. Porte is almost two minutes behind already and has never proven anything in a GT.

 

[jmdirt]

In yellow and in the break!

 

[PremierAndrew]

Re: Re:

He'll keep the jersey tomorrow.
We'll see how much care he'll receive from team on the Saturday. Tomorrow should be everybody for themselves, with domestiques there for TJ and Richie in a case of trouble. The others can gather around GVA after dropping.
But he'll get further than we expect.

Tbh, GVA should be working for TvG and LRP, not for himself to defend the jersey

And what can Greg do to help them? Nothing.

Greg shouldn't domestique once in this Tour as he's the best rider they have. How TjvG ever came to be the leader of one of the richest WT teams is beyond me. Porte is almost two minutes behind already and has never proven anything in a GT.

Get in the breakaway so BMC dont need to chase, which is exactly what he's done

 

[SeriousSam]

He should get into the break every day until he has a 30 min lead

 

[Winkin' boy]

SKY, Movistar and Tinkoff have just lost the Tour...

Nothing else matters

 

[Carols]

Another brave, great ride today. Honored the Yellow . You go GVA, keep that jersey just as long as you can!

 

[Inquitus]

Re:

Another brave, great ride today. Honored the Yellow . You go GVA, keep that jersey just as long as you can!

Indeed, great effort today to do all he can to hang onto yellow for as long as possible, tomorrow will be another struggle with Tourmalet so early in the stage, but wishing him all the best!