"With knife between my teeth": Florian Vermeersch accepts the task of guiding Pogacar safely through Tour's first week

Florian Vermeersch's long-term dream of winning a Grand Tour could come true this July. In his second year with UAE Team Emirates - XRG, the Belgian was selected as part of Tadej Pogacar's support team and that means he's already made a leap forward to fulfilling that dream of Paris podium.

"It was a career goal to be on a winning Tour team," Vermeersch confided to Jan Bakelants in an interview for Het Laatse Nieuws. And then there's the added value of a potentially record-equalling Tour de France victory number five. "I realize that it would be doubly unique if Tadej were to win for the fifth time."

The 27-year-old made a move from Lotto to UAE two winters ago for this precise reason. Although part of it was also to build a strong Classics team around the Slovenian three-time Tour of Flanders champion. And at the second attempt, it worked out.

"Tour selection was more of a secret hope," he explains. "Last year, as the first reserve, I wasn't far off, but the fact that I'm in now proves they have faith in me. That feels really good."

The indications that Vermeersch could be a part of the nomination were there since the very start of this season, but Florian still had to earn his spot over the first few months of 2026.

"The week before the Omloop, I already knew that I was in the pre-selection and that the chances were good. My good spring will have given those chances an extra boost.

The role of domestique is often looked over in the world of cycling, yet a high-quality rider taking a self-less turn at the front in favor of his dedicated leader can be the deal-breaker in many race scenarios.

And in those key moments, mutual trust - in particular from domestique towards their leader - is a decisive factor. To know that a rider like Pogacar is almost guaranteed to flawlessly execute teammate's effort gives domestiques wings at times.

"You know that when you take a turn at the front and make an all-out effort, there is a good chance that the team leader will finish it off afterwards. That is racing with a very different feeling than with a team leader who rarely wins. Then, after every turn at the front, you think: 'Is what we are doing here really right? Shouldn't we be a bit more careful?'"

Speaking of his own role at the Tour, Vermeersch does not expect to be handed any left-overs. Although he doesn't rule it out. The primary focus is on winning the race overall.

"Every day with the knife between my teeth, and staying in support of Tadej for as long as possible. It won't be like: I'll let myself get dropped here on the first climb. Far from it, even."

"Controlling and positioning in the flatter stages," he says about his role. "Especially in that hectic first week, I can be of added value in positioning, but it is not as if [Nils] Politt and I are expected to go along until the last climb."