"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

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.

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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."

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