Greg Van Avermaet finalizes preparations for Unbound Gravel debut: "The distance will definitely take me out of my comfort zone"

Greg Van Avermaet won the lottery to earn his debut spot on the start line at the upcoming Unbound Gravel, held on June 1 in Emporia, Kansas. The former Olympic champion and Paris-Roubaix champion with gathered experience from 56 monuments spread over 17 years of professional career will try to use every trick in his toolkit to put in a good ride at the 200-miles long gravel race. Over more than 300 kilometers, not only Van Avermaet's legs will be tested...

"I’ve trained as much as possible to ensure I'll be ready for Unbound, and I'm looking forward to competing at this level of racing. The event has been in my head to try for a few years now, and having retired from the road last year, it's nice to be able to do more adventure stuff like this and try something different," Van Avermaet said ahead of the race.

"I'm a little scared of the distance, and it'll definitely take me out of my comfort zone, but as a road rider, I was always strong in the longer, one-day races, and I will do my best and try to enjoy it as much as I can."

"I still need to properly look at the route, but I think one of the most important factors in having success in this type of race is to try and limit the amount of mechanicals you have and to not panic if and when you do have them. We'll see how things go, but I'm really looking forward to it."

"I think the course, when I saw from the pictures, it really looks rough, and it scares me a little bit. You have to be careful with your bike. On the road bike. I could handle my bike quite well on the cobblestones," Van Avermaet said regarding his Classic experience.