Greg Van Avermaet has had such a good start to the season that the BMC captain is now in a position to say that any result other than first in the Tour of Flanders will be a disappointment.

“If I’m second or third I will be disappointed. I’m not happy anymore with second or third places,” he said during a press conference at the BMC hotel. "If I give it all and then you’re second or third it is like it is but you’re still disappointed because my only goal is winning those classics and if I’m not there, then it’s just not good enough.”

After stunning wins at Omloop and the Tirreno GC, the Belgian says he believes he can win sprints from small groups too, a strong possibility in tomorrow’s race.

“I know I can beat strong guys and I know I finish races like that,” said Van Avermaet. “It gives me confidence that if we come in a sprint with four or five guys, which is a possibility in Flanders that I can win. The more you come into this situation, the more you learn and the better it is.”

After illness, he says he is no longer the best rider, pointing to Sagan and Cancellara as the guys on the best form, but he says he is not far behind them.

“Fabian and Peter will be the most important,” he said. “Maybe if I had a normal weekend last week then I would put myself on the same level as them but they were really strong last weekend and I was not really there. I think that they’re a little bit above me but there’s always these things about who is going to be the guy who will win Flanders. In the end, it’s just about Sunday and the race will decide who will win Flanders.”