Vermote did not expect to be offered a contract by Visma. He calls the phone call a godsend. “I didn’t tell you right away. I had already had several contacts and it always turned out to be nothing. Only when there was certainty did I dare to tell.”
He now hopes to become a permanent fixture in the team and thus take steps forward. “I will ride in service, ride in the lead. I know I can. I would like to race for a few more years, because I still feel good.”