"We had to make it as hard as possible for him" - Florian Vermeersch become UAE's golden domestique after Pogacar support in Flanders

Florian Vermeersch was signed by UAE Team Emirates - XRG into the 2025 season and this spring the transfer has been delivering on a consistent basis. The Belgian has had his own strong results but when called to support on Tadej Pogacar at the Tour of Flanders, he fulfilled his role to perfection on the team's strategy to win the race.

Vermeersch has been having a stellar year with podium results at Omloop het Nieuwsblad and the E3 Saxo Classic when racing for himself; other strong performances in several other cobbled classics; and direct support for Tadej Pogacar in every single race day he's had so far this season.

UAE were down a few men at the Tour of Flanders due to injuries, but when the key phase of the race began, only one was with Pogacar. That was Vermeersch himself, who attacked the Molenberg with 105 kilometers to go. This split the peloton to bits and although UAE did not have a numerical advantage, the pace in the group, part of a general collaboration, was enough to prevent attacks.

“We wanted to do a copy-paste of Omloop. We knew there would be a crosswind on the section leading to the Molenberg, so the key was to be near the front there," the Belgian said in an interview with Sporza.

The 27-year old was all the support Pogacar needed for the next hour of racing until the riders reached the foot of the Oude Kwaremont for the second time. The World Champion was not attacked neither by his main rivals or other tactical moves - discouraged by the presence of the in-form Vermeersch who would ordinarily be able to respond or chase if necessary.

“The damage done on the Molenberg was a dream scenario. All the strong teams were represented. From that point on, it was simply a matter of keeping it going until the second passage over the Oude Kwaremont".

And just like that, his job for the day was over in terms of support. Whilst he was in a domestique role, the difference in level between the men in front and the rest was so large that he was ultimately allowed to race for himself and work for an individual result.

With his leader so far up ahead, he depended on the radio to know what was happening. But what he would hear would be positive: “At that moment my radio wasn’t working properly, so I only heard once that he had gone clear with Mathieu van der Poel. After that, for me it was a case of finding my way to a top-10 result".

At the end, he rode to 7th on the day, and as a heavyweight rider, the expectations can be even higher for a Paris-Roubaix where he's finished second in the past, and fifth last year - where he finished alongside Mads Pedersen and Wout Van Aert.

Ultimately, Pogacar was just the strongest. And Vermeersch could see it. “As soon as there was hesitation in the front group, he took over on the front. I could just see that he was having a super day.”

“It’s incredible that he still has that extra acceleration every time when everyone else is already on the limit. On paper, this is not even the kind of race that should suit him best, but every time he comes here, and then he still rides everyone off his wheel. It’s unbelievable".

“Was the plan to make sure Evenepoel didn’t come back? Tadej really did not want Remco to return. On one of those in-between sections he could have ridden away. He’s Olympic champion for a reason. We had to make it as hard as possible for him.”

For him, it becomes an ideal scenario, with the pressure and eyes off of him; but with enough space to still be able to race the way he wants to. But the team's focus is always going to be the World Champion, who looks to complete his set of monuments next Sunday in the 'Hell of the North'.