"They wanted to keep me" - New UAE Team Emirates rider Florian Vermeersch reveals negotiation difficulties with Lotto Dstny
Cycling
Florian Vermeersch is changing teams over the winter, from
Lotto Dstny to UAE Team Emirates, and the Belgian recently opened up about his
difficult 2024 to Het Nieuwsblad. From the report, it appears that the 25 year
old had some difficulties negotiating his way out of the team.
"I have always been treated very correctly. The team
has always supported me very well,” he said. “But there is one thing that I was
very disappointed about. It is not that the team wanted me to leave, because we
had negotiations in which they said that they wanted to keep me."
Vermeersch, who has two silver medals in the gravel world
championships continued, “In the end, they did not offer me anything. The
choice was actually made for me. That is the only thing that makes me a little
sad, that it had to happen this way. But look, that is also the course. I can
understand that.”
Now he has managed to sign his contract with his new team,
he can get ready to team up with the likes of Tadej Pogacar, Adam Yates and
Joao Almeida next year.
“Let me say that I will earn more than what I have earned so
far. But I did not sign for the money. I also had other opportunities where I
could earn just as much, but I honestly chose the team. 25 is the ideal age to
get out of your comfort zone. It is also the best team in the world and they
still had a gap in their spring core. All that together, actually, it was
a no-brainer .”
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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