Interview Julien Vermote

For almost 15 years, Julien Vermote has been one of the most appreciated teammates in the peloton. Tom Boonen, Mark Cavendish, Wout van Aert,... they could all rely on the services of the now 35-year-old Belgian. This year he started his season with Team Visma | Lease a Bike where he will once again ride a series of big races. In this interview, we look back on his career so far. About personal successes and sharing successes with others, about life as a cyclist on and off the bike.

It is now your second season with Team Visma-Lease a Bike, how do you look back on your first year with the team?

At first, I was very happy to have a team last year. In the end, I was able to complete a very nice programme last year. Often as substitute, but I still managed to do a lot of great races. So for me it was a nice season after all. I was really happy to be back at the highest level. I also felt myself growing throughout the season, when I got back to a good level and the hardness came back in my legs. So I was able to be of value to the team. I was very happy with that, because in the end that is what I do it for. It is not just to be a rider, I still want to be of value and mean something to the team. That's the most important thing for me. I definitely enjoyed it even more than before. In the end, I am a bit more conscious about everything and then I look at things differently. That is also an important factor. Enjoying the things you are doing. It was a great year.

What does your programme look like this year?

I am currently riding Strade Bianche on Saturday, then Denain, Bruges-De Panne, Paris-Roubaix, Brabantse Pijl, Flèche Wallonne, Tour de Romandie. So it's a varied programme, though. I'm also a substitute for a lot of races, so maybe something will come up spontanously, but it's already a nice programme.

In your career, you have had the opportunity to work for the biggest leaders in the biggest races. Which moment will always stay with you?

Yes, that's right. I have indeed been able to ride for many leaders. I am also very grateful for that. It taught me a lot. It is maybe difficult to choose one moment, but I think maybe the Giro I rode with Mark Cavendish. It was maybe also a bit of my own breakthrough. That's when Mark won five stages. I pushed in front a lot then, and developed as a rider. It was very special, especially his hundredth victory, where I chased in front until deep in the final to catch the breakaway. We ended up sprinting to them in the last few hundred metres. In the end, ‘Cav’ was able to win the stage. After the finish, he was really waiting for me to thank me for that. I thought that was cool. Also the Tour of Flanders with Gilbert, with Quickstep was nice, when he was Belgian champion. When Kwiatkowski won the Amstel Gold Race as world champion was also pretty special. Different moments, and there are certainly more. Also Tony Martin's Tour de France stage, when he had to change bikes on the cobbles deep in the finale. There are some others too.

What do you consider your favourite personal victory?

My first professional win was the final GC victory in the Three Days of West-Flanders. That was nice, but I think my first stage victory in the Tour of Britain, is going to stay in my thoughts a bit more. I really crossed the line first there, and that is still something more special. That was a really nice moment. It was a long stage and in the final I was able to break away solo, after working all week for the team. The World Team Time Trial Championships was also something that will stay with me. It was something very special.

After your time at Quickstep, you were given a free role at other teams. How did you feel about suddenly being able to ride for personal successes yourself more often?

Yes, that's right, it was indeed different. At Dimension Data I was indeed given much more of a free role. I almost managed to win Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, which was a pity that it just didn't happen. I was just catched by the sprinters and finished eighth in that bunch sprint. That was really unfortunate because that day I really thought I would win Kuurne. It would have changed my career to win a semi-classic. That was unfortunate. Of course, it was always different. I hadn't really been used to racing very much for myself either. Once in a while I did win something at Quickstep and I could go for my own chance. But mostly you ride in service and that's a different mindset anyway. So I had to adapt to that anyway. But in the end it was a nice experience and I am glad I tried it, because otherwise, I would think afterwards : “If only I had this or if only I did that”. In the end you have to make decisions in life and dare to go for it, but I also like riding in a strong team. It is a bit more fun to ride when you are surrounded by strong riders. That's also how I grew up with Quickstep. The strength of the team was always very important. If it's in your mind, it's also hard to get it out. It's just a different mindset to ride for yourself. I think hat was a good learning experience and I learned a lot from it.

What are your biggest passions outside cycling?

I enjoy life. In the off-season, I like to go travelling. I can enjoy that to relax a bit. When I'm at home, I like to go for a coffee, which is also nice to do something different for a while. As a cyclist, it is difficult to do a lot of things. We are fairly limited. We take good care of ourselves, we rest often, so there are not very many things that we can do. The season is pretty monotonous. Other than that, my family is very important to me. I always enjoy being able to spend a bit of time with them. During the year, we are away from home and abroad a lot anyway. I do enjoy travelling, but it is still important to be with my family now and then. Furthermore, my religion is also important. I like to go to church and it brings rest to my mind. For me, that is also an important facet of my life. I also appreciate a good dish. Sometimes a bit more elaborate, but during the season a pasta or something like that is also nice. I also like Italy. Maybe that's why.

Through whom or what did you start cycling yourself?

I started cycling because of my brother. He always dreamed of becoming a cyclist and I was actually a goalkeeper with KFC Harelbeke. But then that team went bankrupt and I had to look for another team and in Stasegem, where I lived they didn't really need a goalkeeper. I could go to Ingelmunster but that was also a bit of a long drive. I also had a brother and two sisters and for my parentsthat was not always easy logistically to bring me there then 2-3 times a week. Meanwhile, my brother had started cycling and had taken me to some races, and then I told my father I wanted to do the same. Then I was able to get another training as an aspirant. There was another miniemen's training going on at the end of June. Then I was able to take that and then I was also able to get my licence. Then I rode my first race at the end of July. There I suffered a lot, followed the peloton as long as I could, but at the end that was no longer possible. So my first years were not really successful. It did get better after that. My brother was more fanatical about it though and dreamed of becoming a cyclist. If he hadn't started, I wouldn't have started cycling either, I wouldn't have become a cyclist. My big idol was Johan Museeuw. He did stand at the top. Lance Armstrong was also at the top. Then a little later Tom Boonen. So it is nice to ride in a team with your childhood idol. Tom was also a great rider and a great personality. So thanks to my brother.