Julien Vermote (born 26 July 1989) is a Belgian professional cyclist, who rides for UCI WorldTeam Visma–Lease a Bike.

Julien Vermote
Vermote at the 2016 Tour of Britain
Personal information
Full nameJulien Vermote
NicknameJule
Born (1989-07-26) 26 July 1989 (age 35)
Kortrijk, Flanders, Belgium
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10+12 in)
Weight71 kg (157 lb; 11 st 3 lb)
Team information
Current teamVisma–Lease a Bike
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Rider type
Amateur teams
2002–2007KSV Deerlijk
2008–2010Beveren 2000
2023Secteur–Duolar
Professional teams
2011–2017Quick-Step[1]
2018–2019Team Dimension Data[2][3]
2020Cofidis[4]
2021–2022Alpecin–Fenix[5]
2024–Visma–Lease a Bike
Medal record
Men's road bicycle racing
Representing Omega Pharma–Quick-Step (2014)
Etixx–Quick-Step (2016)
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2016 Doha Team time trial
Bronze medal – third place 2014 Ponferrada Team time trial

During his professional career, Vermote has taken three wins – the overall victory at the 2012 Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen along with stage victories at the Tour of Britain in 2014 and 2016. He was also a member of the Etixx–Quick-Step team that won the gold medal in the team time trial at the 2016 UCI Road World Championships.

Career

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Junior and under-23 career

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Born in Kortrijk, Flanders, Vermote started racing at a young age and joined the KSV Deerlijk team in 2002 and stayed on that team for the rest of his junior career. He was the national champion in the novice category in 2004.[6] Going through the years, Vermote had results on all levels and his time trialling skills started to develop with multiple wins in the discipline. In his final year in the junior ranks, he won 10 races including Ledegem–Kemmel–Ledegem and a 2nd place in the junior version of the Tour of Flanders.

In his first year in the Under-23 ranks with Beveren 2000 in 2008, Vermote came up with a win in the individual time trial stage at the Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux,[7] against a field including time trial specialists Jan Bakelants and Jan Ghyselinck. The following year, Vermote won the under-23 race at the Belgian National Time Trial Championships by 23 seconds. Earlier in the year, Vermote finished second overall at the Tour du Haut-Anjou,[8] four seconds behind race winner Tejay van Garderen; he also won the second stage individual time trial ahead of the likes of Jonathan Castroviejo, Van Garderen and Marcel Kittel.[9] In 2010, Vermote took a solo victory at Brussel–Opwijk, and took podium finishes with third places at Zellik–Galmaarden,[10] and the Grand Prix Criquielion.

Quick-Step (2011–2017)

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In July 2010, it was announced that Vermote was to join Quick-Step for the 2011 season, signing a one-year contract with an option for a further year,[11] which would be taken up.

 
Vermote at the 2012 Tour de Romandie

He took his first victory with the team in March 2012, when he took the general classification at the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen after teammate Michał Kwiatkowski withdrew from the race on the final day.[12] In 2013, Vermote won the GP Briek Schotte in September,[13] and recorded third-place finishes at the Belgian National Time Trial Championships and the Duo Normand two-man team time trial with Kristof Vandewalle.[14] At the 2014 Tour of Britain, Vermote won the seventh stage of the race, having made a solo attack from a five-rider breakaway group with around 17 kilometres (11 miles) remaining.[15] A week later, Vermote won a bronze medal at the UCI Road World Championships, as part of the Omega Pharma–Quick-Step squad riding in the team time trial.

He made his first start at the Tour de France in 2015,[16] riding the race for each of his last three years with the team. In 2016, Vermote took his second career stage victory at the Tour of Britain, when he won stage two in Cumbria. Vermote had been a part of the breakaway, which was later joined by a group of overall contenders on the hilly route, before he was the only other rider to follow an attack by Steve Cummings on the run-in to Kendal.[17] Vermote pulled clear of Cummings on the final climb to the line, taking the leader's jersey as well as the stage win.[18] He held the race lead until the sixth stage, a summit finish at Haytor,[19] and ultimately finished the race in ninth place overall. The following month, he won a gold medal in the team time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Qatar, riding as part of the Etixx–Quick-Step team.[20] Having extended his contract with the team for the 2017 season,[21] Vermote's best individual result was a fifth-place overall finish at the Tour of Belgium.

Post-Quick-Step (2018–present)

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Having spent seven seasons with the Quick-Step squad, Vermote signed with Team Dimension Data for the 2018 season, joining his former teammate Mark Cavendish at the squad.[2] Over the next two seasons, Vermote recorded three top-ten individual placings; finishing ninth at Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne – being part of a breakaway that was caught with 100 metres (330 feet) remaining[22] – and eighth at the Grand Prix d'Isbergues in 2018, and tenth at Paris–Tours in 2019.[23] He then joined Cofidis for the 2020 season (who were returning to the top level of cycling as a UCI WorldTeam),[24] where he worked largely as a domestique during the COVID-19 pandemic-effected campaign.

 
Vermote at the 2024 Rund um Köln

After his one-year contract was not renewed by Cofidis, Vermote started the 2021 season as a free agent.[25] His travails in Spain to earn a contract offer would ultimately lead to his signing by Alpecin–Fenix during the spring.[5] However, he did not contest any races in 2021 due to being diagnosed with COVID-19 and toxoplasmosis, but his contract was extended into 2022 by the team.[26] Having not held a professional contract in 2023, Vermote rode as a one-man team, under the team name Secteur–Duolar.[27] He joined Visma–Lease a Bike for the 2024 season,[28] recording his first top-ten finish with the team with a fourth-place finish in May's Gullegem Koerse, a Belgian kermesse race.[29]

Personal life

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His brother is Alphonse Vermote, who also competed as a cyclist for the An Post–Chain Reaction squad in 2014. Vermote is Roman Catholic and gave testimonials in different schools; he says the rosary gives him strengths during his career as a sportsman.[30] He lives in Stasegem, outside Harelbeke, Flanders.[31]

Major results

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Source: [32]

2006
3rd Time trial, National Junior Road Championships
6th Overall Driedaagse van Axel
1st Young rider classification
2008
1st Stage 2 (ITT) Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux
2009
1st   Time trial, National Under-23 Road Championships
2nd Overall Tour du Haut-Anjou
1st Stage 2 (ITT)
8th Ronde van Vlaanderen U23
2010
3rd Zellik–Galmaarden
3rd Grand Prix Criquielion
4th La Côte Picarde
6th Circuit de Wallonie
7th Overall Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux
2012
1st   Overall Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen
1st   Young rider classification
2013
1st GP Briek Schotte[13]
3rd Time trial, National Road Championships
3rd Duo Normand (with Kristof Vandewalle)
2014
1st Stage 7 Tour of Britain
3rd   Team time trial, UCI Road World Championships
5th Omloop van het Houtland
8th Brabantse Pijl
2015
8th Overall Three Days of De Panne
2016
1st   Team time trial, UCI Road World Championships
1st Textielprijs Vichte
9th Overall Tour of Britain
1st Stage 2
2017
2nd Gullegem Koerse
5th Overall Tour of Belgium
2018
8th Grand Prix d'Isbergues
9th Kuurne–Brussels–Kuurne
2019
10th Paris–Tours
2023
5th Omloop Mandel-Leie-Schelde
5th Schaal Sels
6th GP Briek Schotte
7th Memorial Fred De Bruyne
2024
4th Gullegem Koerse

Grand Tour general classification results timeline

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Grand Tour 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
  Giro d'Italia 89 132 88
  Tour de France 116 114 139 75
  Vuelta a España Has not contested during his career
Legend
Did not compete
DNF Did not finish

References

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  1. ^ "Steegmans, Terpstra re-up with Omega Pharma – Quick-Step". Cycling News. Future Publishing Limited. 22 August 2012. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Vermote signs for Dimension Data". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 18 August 2017. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Dimension Data finalise 2019 roster". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 22 November 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
  4. ^ Bacon, Ellis (30 December 2019). "2020 Team Preview: Cofidis". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Julien Vermote signs for Alpecin-Fenix". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 6 April 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  6. ^ CyclingArchives
  7. ^ "Vermote wint rit 2 Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux" [Vermote wins Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux stage 2]. Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). 5 April 2008. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Stage 2 - May 9: Aze - Aze (ITT), 13km". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Stage 4 - May 10: Pouance - Château-Gontier, 156.9km". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 10 May 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Vermeltfoort outsprints Claeys to win". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 18 April 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  11. ^ "Quick Step: Dario Cataldo extends for one year, Julien Vermote to join the pro ranks". VeloNation. VeloNation LLC. 9 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  12. ^ Hymas, Peter (4 March 2012). "Vermote victorious at Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  13. ^ a b "Julien Vermote remporte le GP Briek Schotte à Desselgem" [Julien Vermote wins the GP Briek Schotte in Desselgem]. RTBF (in French). 10 September 2013. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  14. ^ Gachet, Frédéric (29 September 2013). "Duo Normand : Classement" [Duo Normand: Rankings]. Directvelo (in French). Association Le Peloton. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  15. ^ "Tour of Britain Stage 7: Vermote Seizes Opportunity, Wins Solo in Brighton". Omega Pharma–Quick-Step. Decolef lux SARL. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  16. ^ "2015 Tour de France start list". Velo News. Retrieved 2 July 2015.
  17. ^ Benson, Daniel (6 September 2016). "Vermote continues Tour of Britain winning streak". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  18. ^ Torfs, Michaël (5 September 2016). "Julien Vermote plays it perfectly in Kendal". Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Tour of Britain: Vermote gives it his all on Haytor". Etixx–Quick-Step. Decolef lux SARL. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Etixx – Quick-Step crowned TTT World Champion". Etixx–Quick-Step. Decolef lux SARL. 9 October 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  21. ^ "Transfer news: Etixx-QuickStep confirm Vermote for 2017". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. 28 July 2016. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  22. ^ Decaluwé, Brecht (25 February 2018). "Ambitious Vermote caught at the line in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne". Cyclingnews.com. Immediate Media Company. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  23. ^ Long, Jonny (13 October 2019). "Jelle Wallays wins Paris-Tours 2019 with strong solo attack". Cycling Weekly. TI Media. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  24. ^ "Vermote signs for Cofidis". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. 25 October 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  25. ^ Fletcher, Patrick (15 January 2021). "Vermote embarks on second solo training camp in search of a contract". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  26. ^ Weislo, Laura (7 December 2021). "Vermote renews with Alpecin-Fenix after 'year to forget'". Cyclingnews.com. Future plc. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  27. ^ Vannoorden, Jorunn; Coorevits, Hugo (24 June 2023). "Julien Vermote stelt trui voor waarin hij als eenmansploeg BK rijdt, die erg doet denken aan iconisch shirt Gan Mercier" [Julien Vermote presents the jersey in which he rides as a one-man team in Belgian Championship, which is very reminiscent of the iconic Gan Mercier shirt]. Het Nieuwsblad (in Dutch). Mediahuis. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  28. ^ Ostanek, Dani (8 January 2024). "Visma-Lease a Bike complete 2024 roster with Julien Vermote signing". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 13 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Eén-tweetje voor Soudal-Quick Step in Gullegem Koerse met Svrcek en Lampaert" [One-two for Soudal-Quick Step in Gullegem Koerse with Svrcek and Lampaert]. Sporza (in Dutch). Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie. 28 May 2024. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
  30. ^ Lieve Wouters (10 October 2017). "Wielrenner Julien Vermote getuigt over geloof op school". Kerknet.
  31. ^ [1], The Vermote Brothers
  32. ^ "Julien Vermote". FirstCycling.com. FirstCycling AS. Retrieved 3 July 2024.
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