UAE lineup for Tour of Flanders corrected - Tadej Pogacar can count on Florian Vermeersch!

UAE Team Emirates - XRG released not one, but two lineups for the Tour of Flanders scheduled this Sunday. The culprit is ninja Florian Vermeersch who disguised himself as Rui Oliveira and snuck into the announcement under false idendity...

The media team of race favourite Tadej Pogacar swiftly picked up on the obvious mistake and promptly posted a second selection, this time including the 26-year-old Belgian. Vermeersch will be an important piece in the puzzle which should come together as a second Flanders victory of the current world champion.

Vermeersch missed the whole spring last year with an injury, but in 2025 he is clearly in a good shape as evident from his 4th place at GP de Denain, 6th at Bredene Koksijde and solid showings at the cobbled classics of last week (24th at E3 Saxo Classic and 26th at Gent Wevelgem).

His absence would've been a heavy blow for Pogacar's ambition as the Slovenian will need all the manpower he can get to take on Mathieu van der Poel and get revenge for Milano-Sanremo. The Dutchman's squad may not be as star-filled, but their ability to execute orders in favor of their leader is the more clinical. And it includes a Vermeersch (Gianni) too.