Greg Van Avermaet talks about his dream victory: "The World Championship is the highest attainable"

Greg Van Avermaet was brought in by AG2R Citroën in 2021 as the new leader. The reigning Olympic champion formed a fearsome duo with Oliver Naesen in the cobbled classics that spring. In the Tour de France he tried to bring a stage victory for the French, while he was Belgian road captain at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. Greg Van Avermaet spoke thoroughly with ridemagazine about his career and his future plans as well as his beginnings.

Van Avermaet was first asked about his perfect day on the bike: "Perhaps you are looking for one moment? Then of course I end up with my Olympic title in Rio. An iconic race in a very atypical location and a race that is only contested every four years. Then there's the way I won. A day to never forget. But I would like to add that an ordinary training day on mountain bike or road bike can also be a very nice day!"

Then he was asked if he rather makes the race or hides in shadows: "Make the race. That's how I've always tried to ride my races. Maybe I should have raced a bit more sneaky, but that wasn't my style. As soon as I have a bit of good am, I race and try to put the race in a final fold. I don't think I've ever won a race in economy mode."

If he could choose one one-day race to win, he went for World Championship without any hesitation: "With the rainbow jersey as an extra. You can wear that jersey for a whole year. The World Championship is the highest attainable; the one-day race of the year."

Mathieu van der Poel or Wout van Aert? "That's a very difficult one. Two different riders, both with their charms and their positive and negative points. Mathieu's brash way of racing appeals to me a little more. Sometimes I wish I was him. On the other hand, van Aert puts so much regularity in his performance, which in turn resonates with me in that way. I can not choose."