dsm-firmenich PostNL prospers with American talent in fight against relegation

The 23-year-old American thus collected 195 UCI points in one week, which is quite a nice boost for the current number 18 in the World Cycling Federation's points list. The first 18 teams after 2025 are entitled to a World spot for the 2026-2028 cycle, with dsm-firmenich PostNL now 1,500 points ahead of Arkéa-B&B Hotels, which is in spot 19.

As for Vermaerke himself, good feelings prevailed after Clasica San Sebastian, where he finished fourth behind Marc Hirschi, Julian Alaphilippe, and Lennert Van Eetvelt. "It was a good race. I had a long trip from Norway and felt a bit tired. But at the same time, I knew the form was good, and I was improving in the last few weeks."

"If it was going to be a tough race, I knew that would suit me better than the stages in Norway," explained the man from the United States. "I managed to save energy in the race's first half, and with Warren Barguil, we were also well in the breakaway. Then I was perfectly positioned for the Jaizkibel, after which I always managed to stay in the front."

"On the second-to-last climb, the gap was made. I was pretty comfortable in the group of favorites there but couldn't keep up in the last few hundred meters on the last climb. So I had to go at my own pace," he continued. He finished seventeen seconds behind the leading duo, just ahead of a small group that included Jhonatan Narváez.

"All in all, I felt powerful and am getting better and better in the races. As number four, you fall just outside the podium, but we can be proud of the way we rode as a team. I am already looking forward to my next races," Vermaerke concluded.