Former Olympic road race champion Greg Van Avermaet has added a 70.3 Ironman age category world title to his list of career achievements – something he never managed to achieve on the bike.
Having taken on triathlon and gravel racing soon after retiring, Van Avermaet, now 40, claimed the 40-44 age group crown in Marbella on Sunday, completing the 1.9km swim, 90km cycle and half marathon in four hours, 15 minutes and 56 seconds.
Van Avermaet retired at the end of the 2023 season, but has more than kept himself sharp. Unsurprisingly, it was the bike leg where the Belgian made the difference – having been sat 126th after the swim, he completed the 90km ride nine minutes faster than the next best, giving him a big enough buffer in the run to hold onto the victory.
During his time as a pro, the Belgian raced for Lotto and AG2R Citroën, but made his name as a BMC rider. He’s still an ambassador for the brand and rode a BMC time trial bike during Sunday’s half-Ironman.
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