Julien Vermote will continue in the colors of Etixx – Quick-Step next season, after the two parties have struck a deal on Thursday. A former winner of Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, the 27-year-old has enjoyed a very strong season so far, working hard for his teammates in the Spring Classics and placing in the top 10 at the National Championships in both the time trial and road race, before going on to ride his second Tour de France, where he was a key man of the team.

"I am happy, because this is what I wanted from the beginning. I'm here for six years, I turned pro with this outfit and grew up in this environment. Under the guidance of the team I made some important steps and I feel like there's still room to improve and achieve a few more goals, at a personal level, but also together with the squad. For that reason, I want to thank Patrick Lefevere and the team for their trust", said Julian after inking the new deal.

Also Patrick Lefevere, Etixx – Quick-Step's CEO, was satisfied with this agreement:

"Julien is one of the most reliable riders in the peloton, always there for the team, on the flat and on the mountains, in the rain or under the scorching sun. In this year's Tour de France, he spent more than 1 000 kilometers at the front of the bunch, which says a lot about his commitment, and he was there for Dan Martin on the last Alpine stage, helping him secure his top 10 in the GC and proving what a valuable road captain he is."