Vermeersch Extends UAE Contract Through 2029 — Pogacar's Cobbles Lieutenant Commits Long-Term
Florian Vermeersch has reportedly extended his contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG through to the end of 2029, according to Belgian outlet Wielerflits. The deal secures Tadej Pogacar's most important cobbled Classics support rider for the foreseeable future, and comes at a crucial moment — just five days before the pair line up together at Paris-Roubaix on April 12, where Pogacar will attempt to complete a historic sweep of all five Monuments.
The 27-year-old Belgian was a Paris-Roubaix runner-up in 2021 during his time at Lotto-Dstny, and his intimate knowledge of the cobbles has made him an invaluable asset since joining UAE at the end of 2024. This spring, Vermeersch has delivered consistently at the highest level: third at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, third at E3 Saxo Classic, and a tireless presence at the front of the peloton in support of Pogacar at both Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders. His work on the Molenberg and through the Haaghoek cobbles at Flanders was particularly instrumental in setting up Pogacar's decisive Oude Kwaremont attack.
The extension reportedly fought off interest from Alpecin-Premier Tech, who had identified Vermeersch as a potential recruit for 2027 to bolster Mathieu van der Poel's cobbles support. That UAE moved to lock him down before Roubaix underlines just how central Vermeersch has become to the team's Monuments strategy. In a squad that has sometimes been criticised for lacking dedicated cobbles specialists, Vermeersch — alongside Tim Wellens and Nils Politt — has given Pogacar the kind of support infrastructure that Visma-Lease a Bike and Alpecin have long enjoyed.
For Pogacar, the news is significant beyond the immediate tactical value. The Slovenian has spoken repeatedly about building a team capable of winning the cobbled Monuments not just once, but consistently. Vermeersch's extension signals that UAE's Classics project — which began in earnest with the recruitment of cobbles-specific riders over the past two transfer windows — is now a permanent fixture of the team's identity rather than a short-term experiment built around Pogacar's individual brilliance.
"Florian has been exceptional for us," a UAE team source told Wielerflits. "His experience on the cobbles, his race intelligence, and his willingness to sacrifice for the team make him exactly the kind of rider you build a Classics campaign around. We are very happy he has chosen to stay."
Vermeersch's own trajectory tells a compelling story. The former Belgian under-23 cyclo-cross champion burst onto the road scene with that stunning second place at the 2021 Paris-Roubaix, riding in the rainbow of mud alongside Sonny Colbrelli. Subsequent seasons at Lotto were hampered by inconsistency and team restructuring, but his move to UAE has revitalised his career. This spring represents his best sustained block of Classics form since that breakthrough Roubaix ride, and with the contract extension now reportedly agreed, he can approach Sunday's race with the security of knowing his long-term future is settled.
The deal also carries implications for Paris-Roubaix itself. Vermeersch will be expected to pilot Pogacar through the early cobbled sectors, keep him positioned at the front through the Arenberg Forest trench, and potentially still be there in the finale as a tactical card. If Pogacar is to become only the fourth rider in history to win all five Monuments, Vermeersch will almost certainly have played a decisive role in making it happen. Few domestiques arrive at the Hell of the North with more relevant experience.