Greg Van Avermaet

[Durden93]

Re: Re:

Has not been strong this spring season. Does not deserve the 3 million salary Bahrain apparently is willing to pay for him.

Luckily such decisions aren't made based on one spring alone

No, which makes Badamu's statement all the more true. He's 33, nearly 34. He isn't Valverde either, I doubt he can keep improving for another 4 years. WVA makes more sense

Van Avermaet would be a good choice to accompany both Van Aert and Teuns at Bahrain, but he is not going to win many races in the future and he should realise that. He is not worth top pay anymore.

He’ll get top pay and he’ll deserve every cent. Since 2014 he’s gotten at least one spring classic win. In the year he didn’t, he got podiums in both Roubaix and Flanders. That’s worthy of top pay.

 

[RedheadDane]

Re: Re:

Besides, Greg had two amazing seasons, not one.

2016:

- Omloop het Nieuwsblad
- Tirreno-Adriatico (+ stage win)
- A stage win in the Tour de France
- Olympic Road Race (on a mountainous route no less)
- Grand Prix de Montreal

Do you know how many cyclists would kill to have such a palmares at the end of their career (let alone just in one season)? A lot of them.

I don't think it would be worth spending years in jail for.

Besides, who would you kill? Anyone who could potentially beat you? Heading towards the finish line with a guy who'd be very likely to beat you in a sprint, then just... "stabbety-stab-stab"! Don't think the UCI allows that...

 

[Bardamu]

Re: Re:

Has not been strong this spring season. Does not deserve the 3 million salary Bahrain apparently is willing to pay for him.

Luckily such decisions aren't made based on one spring alone

No, which makes Badamu's statement all the more true. He's 33, nearly 34. He isn't Valverde either, I doubt he can keep improving for another 4 years. WVA makes more sense

Van Avermaet would be a good choice to accompany both Van Aert and Teuns at Bahrain, but he is not going to win many races in the future and he should realise that. He is not worth top pay anymore.

He’ll get top pay and he’ll deserve every cent. Since 2014 he’s gotten at least one spring classic win. In the year he didn’t, he got podiums in both Roubaix and Flanders. That’s worthy of top pay.

Which spring classics did he win in 2014-2015-2016? Only the warm-up semi-classic Omloop.

 

[LiquidCrystalDynamic]

2014 his first win was a stage in the Eneco Tour, followed by the GP de Wallonie and the Primus Classic Impanis-Van Petegem.These were the only wins but he was also notably second at the Omloop and the Ronde.

2015 he won a stage in TA (over Sagan), a stage and the overall at the Belgium Tour, was 3rd at Roubaix and the Ronde, and a TdF stage (again over Sagan). This was a promising season, when he first started to win sprints. I believe this is when he was looking like a sure win in Classica San Sebastian but the motorbike caused him to crash.

2016 he won the Omloop and TA, crashed out of the Ronde and skipped Roubaix. Then won another TdF stage, an Eneco Tour stage, and of course the Olympics Road Race. Also won GP Montreal and second at GP Quebec.

And of course 2017...

Most worrying to me in terms of future performance is that this spring he looked more like 2014-15 GvA then 2016-17. Though there is still many chances to salvage the season, so far it has not gone well.

 

[Nirvana]

I don't understand why some are so harsh with him, this spring is bad only if we compare with last year, he's still one of the best and he was there almost on every race:

*Vuelta Valenciana
With the climbers in stage 2, he tried to stay with them also on the MTF giving up only with 1,5 km to go.

*Tour of Oman
2nd, 1st, 4th in the hilly stages, 22nd on the mountain finish and even 8th in the group sprint last day.

*Omloop Het Niewsblad
Was in the decisive move, finished 50th only because they give up after Valgren was gone.

*Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne
Was in the selected group escaped on the hills, finished 56th because they were catched.

*Strade Bianche
His only bad day of the season, finished over ten minutes down but was the same for other pre race favourites like Kwiatkowski, Gilbert, Vanmarcke, probably due to bad weather.

*Tirreno-Adriatico
Was with the climbers in Trevi and even tried to attack with 500 meters to go, finished only 4 minutes down on Sassotetto, in the first group in Filottrano where the team worked for Caruso, 20th overall.

*Milano-Sanremo
Was in the first group but didn't sprint because he had Roelandts.

*E3 Harelbeke
Won the sprint behind solo winner Terpstra and Gilbert that slipped away in the last kilometer.

*Gent-Wevelgem
Was in the decisive move, tried in the finale and then he didn't sprint.

*Dward door Vlaanderen
Was in the decisive move, tried to attack with Benoot but was catched before missing the final split. Won the sprint in the second group.

*Ronde van Vlaanderen
Was in the first group and won the sprint behind solo winner Terpstra, Petersen and Gilbert and Valgren that slipped away in the finale.

*Paris-Roubaix
Caught behind the crash on first sector, chased and than he tried a couple of attack just before Sagan went away. Won the sprint behind Sagan, Dillier and Terpstra that slipped away in the finale.

*Amstel Gold Race
Attacked after the Cauberg, was catched on the Geulhemmerberg when Valverde attacked with Sagan, Alaphilippe and Wellens and finished in the second group.


At the moment he's 5th in the WT ranking and 6th in the world ranking.

 

[Blanco]

2014 his first win was a stage in the Eneco Tour, followed by the GP de Wallonie and the Primus Classic Impanis-Van Petegem.These were the only wins but he was also notably second at the Omloop and the Ronde.

2015 he won a stage in TA (over Sagan), a stage and the overall at the Belgium Tour, was 3rd at Roubaix and the Ronde, and a TdF stage (again over Sagan). This was a promising season, when he first started to win sprints. I believe this is when he was looking like a sure win in Classica San Sebastian but the motorbike caused him to crash.

2016 he won the Omloop and TA, crashed out of the Ronde and skipped Roubaix. Then won another TdF stage, an Eneco Tour stage, and of course the Olympics Road Race. Also won GP Montreal and second at GP Quebec.

And of course 2017...

Most worrying to me in terms of future performance is that this spring he looked more like 2014-15 GvA then 2016-17. Though there is still many chances to salvage the season, so far it has not gone well.

It was not looking like a sure win by any means! He had 10 sec advantage at most on the group of Yates, Purito and Valverde, and about 500-600m of the steepest part to the top. My guess is that he would've been smoked on that part and not end up in the front group at the top. Of course, it is debatable, but to say it looked like a sure win, I don't think it's true.

 

[loge1884]

@Nirvana
+ At the moment he's 5th in the WT ranking and 6th in the world ranking. +

I don't think GvA has a particularly bad season ... it just lacks the winning ... I guess it was pretty much clear that after a Spring like 2017 anything to follow would be inferior (in the end, GvA is not Eddy Merckx ...) ... personally I do not think he will ever be able to repeat Spring 2017 - his main target will be De Ronde, I guess, and he has 2-3 more years with potential to win (but there will be fierce competition from Sagan, Quick Step and maybe some youngsters like Valgren or Van Aert ...)

 

[trucido]

from http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/van-avermaets-classics-campaign-ends-in-disappointment-at-amstel-gold-race/

"I've had good legs all spring, but the results haven't been as good. But my condition was good," Van Avermaet said. “I was never dropped, I rode on the front. Right now, I'm disappointed, but my holidays are beginning. I'm going to rest a little."

Does he wear VR glasses when racing?

 

[jmdirt]

He's had a great run in yellow, has ridden like a true champion in several stages, placed himself well everyday, and put the yellow jersey in the break today, yet his thread is buried.

Congrats GVA on a great TdF so far! I loved seeing the yellow jersey in the break today!

 

[Son of Amsterhammer]

Amazing performance today.

 

[Cookster15]

Strong as an ox. I didn't think he was capable of that. Kudos.

 

[Screecher]

Yellow jersey is cool and all but i'd rather see him win a stage than waste his energy for a jersey he's going to lose anyway.

 

[Logic-is-your-friend]

Yellow jersey is cool and all but i'd rather see him win a stage than waste his energy for a jersey he's going to lose anyway.

Well, 9 days in yellow... about 90% of the peloton wish they were in his shoes.

 

[SHAD0W93]

That was a great ride today though he will most likely lose it tomorrow. Each time he has had the jersey he has given it his all to keep it.

 

[Amazinmets87]

Re:

That was a great ride today though he will most likely lose it tomorrow. Each time he has had the jersey he has given it his all to keep it.

Would he be better off trying to jump into break or wheelsucking the Sky train? The last climb is actually suited to heavier diesel climbers.

 

[movingtarget]

Great ride for BMC and GVA so far. Except for Richie of course.

 

[SHAD0W93]

Re: Re:

That was a great ride today though he will most likely lose it tomorrow. Each time he has had the jersey he has given it his all to keep it.

Would he be better off trying to jump into break or wheelsucking the Sky train? The last climb is actually suited to heavier diesel climbers.

The stage is harder and he could be more fatigued but you never know. If he goes in the break again that will be major points.

 

[Jagartrott]

First yellow jersey wearer that wins a combatif du jour. He honoured the jersey. However, he'll be spent today, so he'll not go in the breakaway again, most likely.

Apart from wearing yellow for over a week, he wins the TTT (and not as a passenger), ends second on the cobbles and then fourth the next stage in the Alps, one with 5 tough climbs. That's not too shabby I'd say. His form is good, so I'm sure we'll see him later in this Tour.

 

[Flamin]

I wish he had this kind of shape in spring. Now he's sitting on super legs with nothing left for him this Tour, since his only shot at a stage is gone (Roubaix). Of course 8 days in yellow is a decent feat, but not very special for a Olympic champion and Roubaix winner.

 

[Yingge]

Yeah, he sure honoured the jersey, and no doubt he didn't expect to hold on to it, let alone increase the gap. I bet they wont let him go in a break again.

 

[Nirvana]

Today he should stay in the group, it's very likely they'll chase the break.
Anyway it's better for him if today and tomorrow he saves himself for friday, saturday and sunday stages that will be up for grabs for the breaks, a stage win it's way better that an extra day in yellow.

 

[Leinster]

Re:

I wish he had this kind of shape in spring. Now he's sitting on super legs with nothing left for him this Tour, since his only shot at a stage is gone (Roubaix). Of course 8 days in yellow is a decent feat, but not very special for a Olympic champion and Roubaix winner.

He could conceivably win ay of stages 14, 15 and 18, depending on whether he gets in the break or not. Even 16 isn't out of the question.

 

[Flamin]

Re: Re:

I wish he had this kind of shape in spring. Now he's sitting on super legs with nothing left for him this Tour, since his only shot at a stage is gone (Roubaix). Of course 8 days in yellow is a decent feat, but not very special for a Olympic champion and Roubaix winner.

He could conceivably win ay of stages 14, 15 and 18, depending on whether he gets in the break or not. Even 16 isn't out of the question.

Forgot about 15. Break away win is very likely and it's not impossible indeed if he can limit the damage on the climb (< 1min). But the other stages? No chance imo.

 

[Nirvana]

[quote="Flamin":f316u4a2]I wish he had this kind of shape in spring. Now he's sitting on super legs with nothing left for him this Tour, since his only shot at a stage is gone (Roubaix). Of course 8 days in yellow is a decent feat, but not very special for a Olympic champion and Roubaix winner.

He could conceivably win ay of stages 14, 15 and 18, depending on whether he gets in the break or not. Even 16 isn't out of the question.[/quote]
Stage 18 will be a sprint.
If i were him i'd try to go in the break even in stage 19 with his actual form considering that the Tourmalet is almost 100 kms to the finish and no one will go all out on it.

Anyway i think also stage 13 will be for the break, the first part will be very hard to control with a fast descent start and then a cat. 3 climb where a strong break it's likely to form and sprinters will struggle. Not to mention that will be after three mountain stages and a lot of riders will be tired.

 

[Leinster]

At this rate, there won't be anyone left to sprint against him on the Champs Elysees.