Alexey Vermeulen signed a two-year deal with Team LottoNL-Jumbo. The team is happy to give the 20-year old youngster from the United States the opportunity to develop himself as a GC rider. He fits perfectly into the philosophy of Team LottoNL-Jumbo, which is based on helping young talents to the top of pro cycling.
 
“We want to help Alexey to become a good stage race cyclist,” Sports Director Nico Verhoeven said.
 
“He is a young rider, who has developed steadily in recent years. Because of a broken wrist he missed the World Championships, but otherwise he definitely would have been racing the U23 road race in Richmond. We want to guide him towards the top.”
 
Mathieu Heijboer
Trainer Mathieu Heijboer explained, “We’re going to help Alexey develop his climbing and TT skills. He has had proper training at BMC, now he gets to discover his specialities. Is he best suited for tours with steep climbs or is he better on the longer climbs? It will be an exciting to discover, but it is evident that Alexey is a real GC rider.
 
“We’ll also see if he can come and live in Girona, so he can train with riders like Robert Gesink and Steven Kruijswijk, from whom he can learn a lot.”
 
Dutch grandfather
Vermeulen is looking forward to his adventure.  “This is unbelievable. From the moment I first got on a bike, I dreamed of becoming a pro cyclist. This move is special for my father, his father was Dutch and my grandfather, who inspired me to start cycling. It makes me excited to learn the language.
 
“I like that I get to work with somebody like Robert Gesink. He’s very experienced and recorded big successes. He can help me to become a better rider. Each step is important at this level.”