Florian Vermeersch looks forward to classics alongside Arnaud De Lie: "I believe we complement each other"

His cross campaign ended with a fizzle, due to a painful fall at the start of the Azencross. But fortunately Florian Vermeersch was not injured and will be ready for a new road season with Lotto Dstny. And in an interview with WielerFlits, the Belgian looks forward to taking the cycling world by a storm, together with teammate Arnaud De Lie.

Compared to 2023, Vermeersch intends to changes to this year's road programme. "I had a good feeling all the time last spring and I was in good shape at all races. Only the major result was missing, but the form was very good. That's why I opted for the same approach this year, with all the classics and no Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico."

At classics, he'll join forces with the rising star of De Lie. "He's a super cool guy. I can't say anything bad about it. That's why it's such a pleasure to work for him. But I also believe that we are complementary."

"If I anticipate and participate in a long attack, I can always refer to Arnaud. And he also knows that it is only good for us if I sit at the front. This way he never has to take action too early, and we create a luxurious situation," he explains. "If it does become a sprint, you know that we will always be around with Arnaud. He is certainly not competition for me, rather a fellow companion."