UAE rider travels to Australia to defend world title, but out of his own pocket - "It’s an investment I want to make"
Cycling
This weekend, the gravel World Championships will take place in Nannup, western Australia. Defending men's elite champion Florian Vermeersch will be making the trip and attempt to bring another jersey to UAE Team Emirates - XRG, although he will pay for his own trip.
"It wouldn't be fair to say I’m just casually showing up at the Gravel World Championships. The championship is a goal in itself. I’ve prepared and trained with the intention of winning," Vermeersch said in words to Het Laatste Nieuws.
In 2025, the Belgian proved his worth in the discipline once again, this time taking the victory after having finished second in the previous two years behind Matej Mohoric and Mathieu van der Poel. Vermeersch flies to Australia with the goal of taking a win, somethin he hasn't done this year.
"I feel I’ve ridden a really good season, but once again, I haven't won. That is my biggest frustration. I wouldn't say it’s becoming a complex, but still: it’s been too long, and I really need a win."
Vermeersch has performed strongly this year, finishing third at Omloop het Nieuwsblad and E3 Saxo Classic when leading UAE; seventh at the Tour of Flanders where Tadej Pogacar took the win; and being great aid to Tadej Pogacar's fifth Tour de France win.
But the Belgian carries his own personal ambitions, which haven't yet landed. "It really hurts me, too. I’ve come close a few times this year, but it just hasn't happened."
Florian Vermeersch in the world champion's jersey
Vermeersch prepared specifically for Gravel Worlds
“It was an honor to own that jersey, even though I didn’t get to wear it very often. That said, for the past three weeks, I’ve been training in my rainbow jersey every day. I only do that when I’m riding my gravel bike".
Vermeersch was fourth at the Marly GRVL event back in May, his only race appearance in the rainbow jersey. But with the form he's shown this year and recently, he may be able to renew his victory.
"They completely reshuffled my autumn program. I was given three weeks to prepare. In return, I’ll be riding the Tour of Guangxi in China later on.” Vermeersch will have to tackle a course with around 3700 meters of climbing in less than 150 kilometers, less than ideal for a classics specialist like him, but not something that makes it impossible for him to succeed.
“But from what I’ve heard, the climbs are fortunately steady—averaging seven to eight percent—and never longer than two kilometers or ten minutes. So, a course for powerhouses.”
“I’m starting to feel like going out to a restaurant or heading out with friends, but first I want to do this. I feel like I haven’t been physically wrung out yet. I still have energy and am really looking forward to making something of this.”
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Vermeersch paying for his own trip
Vermeersch will then fly from Australia to China for the Tour of Guangxi which begins two days later. But to make the first trip, he will be the one paying for it himself, despite UAE having the biggest budget in the World Tour: “It’s not a cheap undertaking, but it’s an investment I want to make," he assures.
Asked also about not having a national coach or Belgian team, Vermeersch shared his thoughts on the matter: ”It needs to retain a sense of adventure, that’s the spirit of gravel, but it would be a good step forward if we had a proper national coach soon. That way, there would be a point of contact for practical matters. Right now, I handle everything myself.”
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- :)Hills3306-10-2026
- Hey Hills old chap, I read your posts again and yeah, I guess we're on the same wavelength :)PogiSloFans06-10-2026
- Ayrton Senna used to say: second place is just the first loser. If Tadej is in the race, everyone else is a loser. Remco included. ;)MajorPayne06-10-2026
- PogiSloFans, I mean read my first post above, and only then read my reply to Lozza.Hills3306-10-2026
- Hi PogiSloFans, I was actually agreeing with you! Maybe read it again.Hills3306-10-2026
- Hey Hills33, you wrote: "Perhaps a better measure would be the strength of the competition beaten." ... So Lozza is correct in saying: "Pogi 5 TDF...Jonas 2 TDF." In what other GT is the competition even close to TDF? In no other GT, Giro or Vuelta. Ad acta.PogiSloFans06-10-2026
- They should release full resolution pictures from both photo finish cameras (both sides of finish lines). And even on this low resolution pictures it is clear that Remco won - what really bothers me why spokes in wheels looks different on both images. If cameras would be aligned perfectly to the same (finish) line both images would show same thing.averagecyclist06-10-2026
- The background is the same slice of finish line at a different time. It is blocked from view when a cyclist in in the camera's super narrow view. It makes sense to me. Remco won.OnlyTrueFalcon06-10-2026
- If I understand the explanation of slices of time, that means that the background which is not blocked by the presence of a rider or a bike in every slice of time is the color of the finish line. In fact, the same slice of the finish line is actually the background. Correct?OnlyTrueFalcon06-10-2026
- Yes I follow, but Ciconne is not happy because he can't see the actual line put down on the road. The system is correct and I can understand why he is unhappy. You will have seen it yourself when the broadscaters replay the photo finish, The line on the road is seen.Cyclingsbestfan06-10-2026
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