With BMC’s Greg Van Avermaet having a great season despite crashing out of Flanders and missing Roubaix, his team were not even remotely hesitant to give him a new contract. The Belgian is racing the Dauphine having returned at the Tour of California.

“Staying was pretty important because I’ve been on the team for a few years and I’ve become a leader here. There were some other teams interested in me but it was important for me that I stayed,” Van Avermaet told Cyclingnews.

For the Belgian Classics star, his goals for the future remain unchanged. He wants to win Classics and some stages in the world’s biggest stage races.

“I just want to do what I’m good at, and that’s going for the Classics and stage wins in big races. I want to carry on with that and get stronger and stronger.”

Van Avermaet, who says he has been pining for years to BMC to let him lead the team in his desired races, says he was going where not that he has become the team’s leader in one-day races and most stage races.

“It was a hard time for me when I was becoming a leader but it would have been a bit stupid for me to leave because I spent several years aiming to be a leader on the team. It would have been a bit stupid to leave after I finally got where I wanted to be. There were a few teams interested in me because I have a lot of WorldTour points and I get results. I’m a good rider for everything.”