After hanging up his cycling shoes, Greg Van Avermaet reflected on his career in the “Live Slow Ride Fast” podcast with Laurens Ten Dam. On the occasion, he addressed his belief that enjoyment is the key to any potential success.
Explaining his decision to end his professional career, the former Olympic gold medalist in Rio 2016 reveals that, ultimately, it was quite simple.
Reason prevailed
“Reason prevailed. I could no longer compete to win,” says the 38-year-old athlete, who secured only one victory in the last four seasons. “But I could have ridden for a few more years,” he insists.
Although no longer a professional, Van Avermaet will continue riding his bike purely for pleasure. In the Belgian’s opinion, having a smile on your face is the key to any success you may aim for, whether it’s cycling or otherwise.
“Even in the biggest competitions in the world. You must have fun on the bike,” he explains. “You can see that with Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel. Without fun, you get nowhere.”
Training more to eat chocolate
When asked if more dedicated training could have brought more success to Van Avermaet, he disagrees. “That wouldn’t have worked for me,” responds Van Avermaet. “I would have lost the fun. For example, I trained a lot, but I couldn’t pay attention to food. Chocolate, for instance. I’d rather train a bit more than give that up.”