Greg Van Avermaet ended his professional cycling career two weeks ago, bidding farewell during the Paris-Tours race. Last week, he held an emotional farewell event in Dendermonde, symbolically putting his bike aside. However, last weekend, the 38-year-old Belgian athlete made his debut in a challenging triathlon in Girona, Spain.
Van Avermaet took part in the SGRAIL 100, an event organized by Jan Frodeno, a former Ironman World Champion and 2008 Olympic gold medalist. The triathlon consisted of a 1.5 km swim, 92 km of cycling, and a 10 km run, but the real challenge lay in the course.
The cycling portion primarily took place on gravel roads, while the running leg resembled a trail race with a tough uphill climb to conquer.
“My first triathlon is in the books,” Van Avermaet wrote on his Instagram. “A bit out of my comfort zone, but it was a lot of fun. Thanks, Jan Frodeno, for the warm welcome.”