Belgian rider Greg Van Avermaet is bound for BMC Racing, according to the Gazet Van Antwerpen. The 25-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the American team, the newspaper claims, although it has yet to be confirmed officially.
Van Avermaet his been with the OmegaPharma-Lotto team since 2007, when he took a number of victories. In 2008 he was second in the tour of Belgium and won a stage and the points jersey in the Vuelta a España. He was also voted the Fladrian of the year, much to the chagrin of his team’s big Belgian rivals Quick Step, whose rider Stijn Devolder had won that Tour of Belgium as well as winning the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
Sadly, with departure of Australian Robbie McEwen to the new Katusha team in 2009, Van Avermaet was unable to meet the expectation of beng the team’s sprinter. His best result of last year was fourth place in stage 19 of the Tour de France, admittedly behind a seemingly unbeatable Mark Cavendish.
More accomplished sprinters André Greipel and Gerard Ciolek have been linked with possible moves to OmegaPharma-Lotto for next season.
If Van Avermaet does make the move to BMC Racing, he will be joining a team already full of classics pedigree. The Belgian joining forces with George Hincapie, Alessandro Ballan and Marcus Burghardt would produce a formidable combination in the spring.