Julien Vermote signs for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka

Julien Vermote will join Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka in 2018 after spending seven years with the Quick Step outfit. Vermote has taken three professional victories during his career and has proved himself as a very capable team-mate.

Vermote has won two stages of the Tour of Britain, in 2014 and 2016, and was also a member of the Quick Step team which won the Team Time-Trial at the UCI World Championships last year.

With his move to Team Dimension Data, Vermote will focus on the cobbled classics, and having formed part of Mark Cavendish and Marcel Kittel’s sprint trains in previous years as well, the Flandrien will add strength to the Team Dimension Data sprint train.

Julien Vermote – “I am really happy to be joining Team Dimension Data. I must admit, it was a hard decision to leave Quickstep. I was part of a family there and they gave me good opportunities but there comes a time in a rider’s career when you have to take that next step, and that time is now for me. I am happy that it was Team Dimension Data who showed so much interest in me and I felt that trust from them straightaway. I spoke to Mark (Cavendish) and Rolf Aldag over the phone quite a lot and they really gave me the assurance that I was making the right decision. I look forward to having more opportunities with Team Dimension Data, particularly in the Spring Classics and being able to ride the final there. I love the Flanders races, it is where I am from and I believe I can do well there. With the team wanting me for this role already, it gives me great confidence. The whole look and vision of the team is attractive to me though, it’s outlook on linking professional cycling to a charity that provides bicycles as a basic need, well that is incredible. I am so excited to be part of it all.”

Rolf Aldag – Head of Performance – “Julien is one of the most respected riders in the peloton. He earned this reputation over 7 years of loyal and reliable service to his team leaders. By controlling breakaways and positioning the sprinters, Julien helped to win many races at his former team. Now he reached a point in his career where he wants to see how much more he can do with his talent. He is born, lives and trains in the heart of Flanders. He has followed races like the “Ronde van Flanderen” since he was a child. These races have been on his wish list for a long time. Julien adds a lot of know-how and motivation to our cobble classic campaign and will also give us extra power in Grand Tours for the sprint stages and in protecting our GC rider. We are looking forward to welcome Julien to the team and help him achieve his goals.”