JULIEN VERMOTE

Dimension Data’s Belgian engine on analysing wine and how he got Swiss tarmac in his hip

"I like to analyse wine, I'm still learning. It's drinking something blind and trying to igure out where it's from"

What’s your favourite race?

The Tour of Flanders is one of the races I grew up with; Flanders is the biggest race, and the biggest Classic. I’m actually from Harelbeke and E3 Harelbeke is also a special race for me. I lived there for more than 20 years, so maybe I have to say that one. I always went to the start. The finish is also now at the football stadium in Harelbeke and I always played there. I was a goalkeeper.

What’s your favourite climb?

Alpe d’Huez, because I did it when I was a kid with my brother. I think he was eight, I was nine years old.We did it together with our dad, on mountain bikes so it was quite heavy. We were climbing for two hours.

Who is the best domestique?

I think there are a few. To be the best domestique you have to really think about and care about your leader. If you see how Micha¯ Kwiatkowski rode in the Tour...but I don’t want to call him a domestique, he’s a winner! Maybe Iljo Keisse. He works for the team and he is very experienced.

What is your secret talent?

Maybe it’s not really a talent but I like to analyse wine. I’m still learning – I’ve been doing it for a few years now. My girlfriend’s father is really interested in wine. I wasn’t really into it before but I’ve started to enjoy it. It’s drinking something blind and trying to figure out where it’s from.

What result are you proudest of up to now?

The first race I won as a pro was nice. It was the Three Days of West Flanders in 2012 and it’s the province where I live. It was my second year as a pro. It was quite a heavy day, I had come second in the prologue after my team-mate Micha¯ Kwiatkowski and we then had to defend the jersey. Some pavé in the final made it split up and we didn’t make the front group. I was trying to bridge with him, and we were nearly there but we took a roundabout a bit too fast, Kwiat first, and he just went full speed to the ground. We both crashed but Kwiat couldn’t come back, and then I won the GC. It was another way of winning, and I suppose you want it a bit different sometimes.

Who is your favourite person to follow on social media?

I follow cyclists on Instagram, I’m on Twitter even less. At the end of the day, you’re spending a lot of time on your phone. I follow a lot of cyclists, people I know - maybe too much, maybe too many cyclists!

What’s the toughest day you’ve had on the bike?

The day that Rigo [Urán] lost his jersey in the Giro [stage 16, 2014], it was snowing, full gas and I had to do the Stelvio. I stopped on the first descent of the first climb and didn’t close my jersey and my rain jacket was still open. It was so cold, I had to stop on the top of the Stelvio. The soigneur had to give me new gloves, a new jacket. It was a terrible day.

Who do you think will win the Tour in five years’ time?

Maybe he’s not a professional yet! I think otherwise Tom Dumoulin has a good chance.

What’s the story behind one of your scars?

I have a bit of Swiss asphalt on my right hip. I went down with Styby [Stybar] in the rain in the Tour de Suisse two or three years ago. We were pulling for the sprint and it was a slightly left-hand corner, we went in full but 100 metres after was a really hard left-hand corner. We both came down.