American Kevin Vermaerke is about to step up from the Picnic-PostNL staff to the world’s primary squad UAE Staff Emirates-XRG on a two-year contract in 2026, the staff introduced on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old from Colorado turned skilled in 2021 with Staff DSM and has remained with them via this season, primarily as a domestique.
He has but to attain his first skilled victory however has posted sturdy outcomes with sixth total within the current Arctic Race of Norway and third in the identical race in 2023 and 2024.
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Vermaerke got here up via the Hagens Berman-Axeon staff and claimed the under-23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2019.
With UAE Staff Emirates-XRG, Vermaerke will hyperlink up with World Champion and the top-ranked rider on the earth, Tadej Pogačar, winner of the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France this yr.
“We’re more than happy to welcome Kevin to our staff,” mentioned staff CEO and staff principal Mauro Gianetti
“He is a younger, versatile rider and has already proven he can compete on the highest degree. We imagine he can proceed to develop in the environment and change into an necessary a part of our staff construction, each in stage races and the one-day calendar.”
Though nonetheless a younger rider, Vermaerke mentioned he is able to make the step up after 5 seasons along with his present staff.
“I’m extremely excited to hitch UAE Staff Emirates-XRG subsequent yr and begin a brand new chapter in my profession,” Vermaerke mentioned. “I’ve grown quite a bit over the previous couple of years however I really feel that the staff surroundings of UAE with the extent of the riders and a focus to element on the staff would be the change I must take the following step.
“I am actually trying ahead to studying from one of the best on the earth and contributing to the staff’s success subsequent season.”
