UAE and Pogacar rethink Tour de France line-up

Originally pencilled in for the Giro d’Italia, Vermeersch now appears to be heading in a different direction after an impressive run through the spring classics. The Belgian has been one of the most consistent performers in the peloton, combining aggressive racing with strong results and valuable teamwork in key moments.

His podium finishes at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Saxo Classic, combined with a key supporting role in Pogačar’s victory at the Tour of Flanders where he helped split the peloton on the Molenberg, have not gone unnoticed.

In his favourite race, Paris-Roubaix, Vermeersch was again well placed to assist Pogačar. However, the Belgian crashed on the iconic Trouée d’Arenberg and was forced to abandon, though the damage fortunately proved to be limited.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, his performances have significantly increased the likelihood of him being included in the Tour squad.

Florian Vermeersch was on standby for last year’s Tour squad but ultimately missed out, with Nils Politt getting the nod instead. Keen to ride a Grand Tour this season and without any certainty of a Tour de France spot, he initially set his sights on the Giro.

That plan has now been reconsidered in consultation with his team, with the Giro dropped from his schedule. The move appears to hint at a bigger objective later in the summer. “It looks like I’m heading for a very nice summer,” Vermeersch said to Het Laatste Nieuws.

Around the team’s media day in December, it already became clear that the core line-up to support Tadej Pogačar would include Isaac Del Toro, Adam Yates, Tim Wellens, Brandon McNulty, Pavel Sivakov and Nils Politt.

It now appears that Florian Vermeersch is set to take the final spot in the squad, ahead of alternatives such as Marc Soler. Meanwhile, João Almeida, who has been part of the Tour selection in recent years, is expected to focus on his own ambitions at the Giro d’Italia and the Vuelta a España this season.