Kevin Vermaerke Keeps Attacking to Prove He Belongs at the 2027 Tour de France

Kevin Vermaerke deserved something for launching his fifth breakaway in eight stages at the Vuelta a España.

The race jury at least handed the American his second combativity prize Tuesday of this Vuelta after another long day on the attack during the 181.1km scorcher from Cortegana to La Rábida in Palos de la Frontera.

“I think every day you’re in front of the race, you kind of just build that confidence that you can be there the next day and you deserve to be there,” Vermaerke told FloBikes. “So I think it’s all trending in the right direction.”

Vermaerke is on a one-man demolition derby in the second half of the 2026 Vuelta.

He’s powered into breakaways in five stages since Tadej Pogačar crashed out of the race, spending a staggering 676km off the front.

This post-Pog Vuelta has covered 1,331km from stages 9 through 16, meaning Vermaerke raced more than half that distance in breakaways since his boss left the race.

So far, his best reward was seventh in stage 13 after he animated the day’s main breakaway. The problem was that Visma-Lease a Bike sent both Matthew Brennan and eventual winner Wout van Aert up the road.

Vermaerke tried again Tuesday, and even though the break was reeled in, the Californian continues to carry the UAE Emirates-XRG colors through an increasingly cruel Vuelta.

Vermaerke has a few reasons why he won’t stop attacking.

UAE keeps chasing Vuelta revenge stage win

UAE arrived at the Vuelta built around Pogačar and his bid to complete a historic Giro, Tour and Vuelta sweep.

That plan collapsed when the Slovenian crashed heavily in stage 8, suffering a broken clavicle, a neck fracture and a concussion. The season is over for the world No. 1, but the Vuelta rolls on for what remains of his team.

UAE vowed to regroup and win a stage to honor Pogačar and for team pride.

Its options are shrinking by the day. Jay Vine, Pavel Sivakov, and Pablo Torres have abandoned, leaving UAE with only four riders heading deeper into the final week.

“It’s a little bit of a weird feeling to be only four left, but we have a good group and we’re making the most of it,” Vermaerke told The Cycling Podcast.

It’s not for a lack of trying on Vermaerke’s part, who has emerged as the team’s most aggressive rider since the Pogačar exit.

He said his form has improved as the Vuelta has worn on, despite arriving with an injury and struggling through the opening stages.

Vermaerke — part of a five-rider U.S. contingent at La Vuelta — knows there are no guarantees after making a breakaway.

In fact, only one of his five tries so far has made it to the line. The task is simply to keep trying.

“You never know which day is going to be the day that it works for you and everything comes together perfectly. Sometimes it can be the day you least expect it,” he told FloBikes.

“All I try to do is put myself in the position to try and take an opportunity when it comes. You never know. I’m waiting for it, and when it comes, I’ll hopefully be ready.”

Vermaerke is also chasing what would be his first career grand tour stage win. His best in five grand tour starts was sixth in stage 6 in last year’s Vuelta.

Vermaerke using unexpected freedom to prove his Tour worth

Vermaerke is also getting daylight he never expected.

He joined UAE this season knowing his primary task was to work for Pogačar.

At this Vuelta, he hoped his UAE boss might build such a huge lead that his teammates would be cut loose later in the race, but he was also prepared to sacrifice everything for the Pog win.

“My intention coming to the race was just to ride solely for Tadej,” the Californian said. “If I had just done my job and finished in the gruppetto every day, that also was something I was more than happy to be a part of, to play my role in Tadej winning the Vuelta.

“So I didn’t expect this amount of freedom, but it’s just something I’m trying to make the most out of.”

The freedom came in the worst-case scenario, but Vermaerke is also hoping his relentless attacking isn’t in vain.

For every breakaway, he’s also making his case for a spot in the Pogačar inner circle for the Tour de France in 2027.

“I think it’s a dream to do the Tour with Tadej one year, and to play a role in him breaking that record would be super special,” he said.

“So next year, hopefully, it’s something that the team will think I deserve, that role. First and foremost, I want to be there because I deserve to, and to help Tadej win as a friend, that would be incredible.”

What Vermaerke has learned from Pogačar

For Vermaerke, just hanging around Pogačar in his first season with UAE has been the highlight of his racing career.

The American said cycling’s biggest superstar isn’t just the GOAT. Instead, Vermaerke is amazed at how humble and down-to-earth the Slovenian superstar is during training and around the dinner table.

“Tadej is someone who can really show you how to enjoy the sport and also get the most out of yourself,” Vermaerke said.

“But it requires so much from all of us, from the staff to the riders, that if you’re not enjoying it every day, then you’re not going to last very long,” he said. “That’s something he definitely exemplifies for the rest of us, just to make sure we’re making the most of every day.”

For now, that means Vermaerke keeps attacking.