"You can see that with Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel. Without fun you are nowhere" - Enjoyment the most key factor in success believes Greg van Avermaet
Cycling
Having hung up his cycling shoes for the final time, Greg van Avermaet has been reflecting on his career whilst a guest on the Live Slow Ride Fast with Laurens Ten Dam and his belief that enjoyment is key to any potential success.
Explaining his decision to call time on his professional career, the former Olympic gold medalist reveals it was ultimately quite simple. "It was a choice of reason. I couldn't compete to win anymore," says the 38-year-old, having taken just one win in his final four seasons. "But I could have cycled for a few more years," he insists.
Although no longer in a professional capacity, van Avermaet will continue riding his bike simply for the joy of it. In the opinion of the Belgian, having a smile of your face is key to any potential success you might achieve whether it's riding your bike or in otherwise.
"Even in the biggest competitions in the world. You should have fun on the bike," he explains. "You can see that with Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel. Without fun you are nowhere."
When questioned if a more dedicated training regime could have also brought van Avermaet more success, he disagrees. "That wouldn't have worked for me," van Avermaet responds. "I would have lost the fun. For example, I trained hard, but I couldn't pay attention to food. Chocolate for example. I would rather train a little more than leave it out."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
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- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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