“I hope to be there in the classics” - Gianni Vermeersch ready to ride for Van der Poel and Philipsen in the spring
Cycling
Gianni Vermeersch has set his sights on the Flemish classics
as he prepares for another season targeting the cobbled races. Speaking to
Cyclism Actu, the Alpecin-Deceuninck rider outlined his ambitions and
expectations for the coming months.
"I think it's a bit similar to other years, I hope to
be there in the classics," said Vermeersch, a specialist in cobbled races.
"Without necessarily saying that I have a specific role, I have to prepare
for the classics and try to help the leaders, and I think the last two years
have been really good, so I hope to be at the same level this year."
Vermeersch, who won the Gravel World Championship in 2022,
remains a strong competitor in both gravel and road racing. He finished fifth
in the 2024 Gravel World Championship and has also put in solid performances at
Paris-Roubaix, finishing 11th in 2023 and sixth in 2024.
"I really like this race," he said about
Paris-Roubaix. "The Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix, I think for a
cyclist, these are the two most important races, the most prestigious one-day
races, so if you can compete in these races with the best cyclists in the
world, it's great."
Once again, Vermeersch will take on the role of a key
support rider for Mathieu van der Poel, a two-time winner of Paris-Roubaix, and
Jasper Philipsen, who has finished second behind his teammate in the last two
editions of arguably the most difficult race of the year.
"I think that it will not really change my role in the
races. As I said, in recent years, I have had the same role, so I don't think
that this year I should change my role and be in the position of Soren or Axel.
I can just try to do the same thing that I was able to do in previous
years."
Vermeersch's season will begin with a busy schedule,
including Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Strade Bianche, Tirreno-Adriatico, and
Milan-San Remo, before moving into the core of the classics campaign.
Looking beyond the spring, he remains uncertain about his
gravel racing plans. "Nothing planned for the moment. It's difficult, it
depends on the Grand Tours. I hope of course that I will be there this year.
After that, we have already planned the classics, and next year, we will be
able to plan some gravel races."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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