Greg Van Avermaet has lived up to his role as favorite for the Kristallen Fiets, a trophy that is awarded to the best Belgian rider by the Het Laatste Nieuws newspaper. The BMC rider won the voting ahead of Tim Wellens and Tiesj Benoot.

With a stage victory in the Tour de France, Greg Van Avermaet put the icing on the cake in 2015, a year in which he showed the usual Van Avermaet characteristics of aggressive racing and numerous places of honours.

Van Avermaet touched the major monument win in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix where he was third. In the Strade Bianche, he was second to Zdenek Stybar.

"Such a price is always a great recognition," Van Avermaet told Sporza. "Without the stage victory in the Tour, it would have been difficult to win the trophy.

"But this season was not only good for me. In San Sebastian I was knocked down by a motorcyclist and in Paris-Tours I had a flat tire one kilometer from the finish. That would have been nice victories.

"Next season I will of course focus on the classics. But I will also be there in the Tour again. The World Championships suit me less.”

The Kristallen Fiets is awarded by Het Laatste Nieuws. 112 people, including journalists, former winners and cycling celebritiesm were allowed to cast their vote.

In October Van Avermaet was already elected Flandrien of the Year (an award presented by Het Nieuwsblad). The BMC rider is also still in the running for the title of Sportsman of the Year where he is up against Kevin De Bruyne and Philip Milanov.

All winners of the Kristiallen Fiets:

Cyclist of the Year: Greg Van Avermaet

Yong rider of the Year: Laurens De Plus

Team manager of the Year: Walter Planckaert

Domestique of the Year: Iljo Keisse

Results of the votings

Kristiallen Fiets:

1. Greg Van Avermaet 725 points 
2. Tim Wellens 398 
3. Tiesj Benoot 292 

Young rider of the Year: 

1. Laurens De Plus 548 points 

2. Loïc Vliegen 274 

3. Michael Vanthournhout 206 

Team Manager of the Year: 

1. Walter Planckaert 478 points 

2. Marc Sergeant 382 

3. Patrick Lefevere 260 

Domestique of the Year: 

1. Iljo Keisse 

2. Jens Keukeleire 

3. Julien Vermote