The 5 best vans to play in the PDC World Darts Championship
It's that time of year again, where all of the world's best darts players head for the Alexandra Palace for the PDC World Darts Championship. Vansdirect reveals the best vans to have ever played in the prestigious tournament!
After some intense deliberations and heated debates we've come to our top 5 best vans!
5. Vincent Van Der Voort
One of the fastest players in the game, Van Der Voort seems to have been on the circuit for an absolute age. Having turned professional in 2001 under the BDO guise, he switched to the PDC in 2007 and has enjoyed relative levels of success and is an incredibly popular figure with crowds from around the UK signing his name to the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band's 'Baby give it up'. The current world number 32 has twice reached the quarter final of the PDC World Championship, in 2011 and 2015, missing out narrowly 5-3 in 2015 to the iconic Phil Taylor. The 'Dutch Destroyer' narrowly lost 4-3 in the third round in 2019 to Chris Dobey. His 2020 campaign starts off against Keane Barry with the winner facing an incredibly tricky second round tie with Dave Chisnall.
4. Benito Van De Pas
Another that isn't one to hang about on the oche, Benito Van De Pas also made the switch from the BDO to PDC code more recently in 2014. His consistent performances saw him ranked as highly as number 28 in the world, however after a disappointing season he is now down at number 56. Nicknamed 'Big Ben', he has fallen at the last 16 stage of the PDC World Championship no fewer than four times in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019, missing out 4-1 to Brendan Dolan last year. Will 2020 finally be the year that Van De Pas makes it to the quarter finals and even beyond? He starts off his campaign with one of the highest rated qualifiers in German Gabriel Clemens, with the winner then facing another German, youngster Max Hopp.
3. Dimitri Van Den Bergh
Perhaps a controversial choice above the two excellent players above, we've opted for Dimitri Van Den Bergh in third place, a player we believe is destined for great things in the PDC darts world. The current world number 32 started his career with a short stint in the BDO in 2012 before joining the PDC code in 2013. Nicknamed the 'Dreammaker', Van Den Bergh is an exciting player to watch and reached the quarter finals of the PDC World Darts Championship in 2018, narrowly missing out 5-4 to Rob Cross who would of course go on to win the tournament outright. The Dreammaker reached the quarter finals in the Grand Slam of Darts 2018 hitting a nine darter on the way and won the PDC World Youth Championship for the second consecutive year in 2019. Van Den Bergh missed out in the third round in 2019, having been beaten 4-1 by an inspired Luke Humphries and will be looking for better in 2020. He starts his 2020 campaign in the second round against the winner of Josh Payne and Diogo Portela. Expect Van Den Bergh to surge up the rankings over the next couple of years!
2. Raymond Van Barneveld
A true legend of the game, the sport of darts will be poorer when Barney retires at the end of the 2020 World Championship. The Dutch legend won four BDO World Championship titles in a stint that spanned 19 years before making the plunge to the PDC in 2006. This move would prove to be a good one, having since claimed five PDC majors including the biggest crown of them all in 2007, beating none other than Phil Taylor 7-6 in the final. Since then he has lost in the semi-finals no fewer than five times and will feel he has unfinished business after being defeated 3-2 in the second round by Darius Labanauskas in 2019. The fans favourite Barney starts his last World Championship campaign against Darin Young with the winner facing a potentially enthralling contest with fellow Dutchman Jeffrey De Zwan in the second round.
1. Michael Van Gerwen
Topping the charts is none other than Mighty Mike, who has won absolutely everything the sport has to offer and so much more. Since moving from the BDO to PDC in 2007 Van Gerwen has won absolutely everything boasting a staggering 35 major titles including the World Championship in 2014, 2017 and 2019. Van Gerwen will be looking to defend the World Championship for the first time in 2020 and will be heavy favourite to do so having enjoyed another fruitful season which has seen him claim the Premier League title for the fifth time alongside the Masters, World Grand Prix and last month's Player's Championship finals where he made a nine darter on the way. His 2020 campaign starts off against Kevin Burness or fellow Dutchman Jelle Klaasen, both of which will feel they've drawn the shortest of straws in round 2!
Would your top 5 be the same? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!
New vans on finance
So there we have it, the five best vans to play in the PDC World Darts Championship! Interested in a real van? Vansdirect stocks everything from small vans to large vans with cheap van finance options for everyone's requirements including van leasing, contract hire and hire purchase. Give us a call on 0800 169 69 95 or enquire online for a friendly chat regarding all of your new van needs!