It's a mark of Julien Vermote's determination, and his sheer passion for the sport, that three years after he started doing self-funded one-man training camps, in a bid to get back into the pro peloton, he has now signed for Visma-Lease a Bike.
Vermote, a 34-year-old from Belgium, is of course far from a "no hoper". He already has 10 years under his belt as a World Tour rider; seven with 'QuickStep' in its various guises, two with Dimension Data and one with Cofidis.
However, what that last contract expired - at the end of 2020 - he was out of work. Having just tipped over onto the wrong side of 30, he had no offers on the table. But that didn't deter him.
He set about putting in place one-man training camps for himself, going to Calpe to get the miles in, staying in an Air B&B. And even when the 2021 New Year arrived, and then the racing season started, he still continued to believe, and kept working away.
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That diligence was rewarded when he was offered a contract with Alpecin-Fenix, starting on the final day of March, 2021. However, just when it looked like he had snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, he suffered a bad case of Covid-19 and also came down with toxoplasmosis; an infection caused by a single cell parasite.
Things went from bad to worse and Vermote was unable to race for Alpecin-Fenix in 2021 due to his illness. Still, the ProContinental team offered him another contract for 2022. He did 58 race days for the team that year, at the end of which is contract was not renewed.
And so two years after packing his bags for his one-man training camps, he was back to square one. However, he simply opted for the same strategy. When no last minute contract was secured 12 months ago, he founded a one-man team, Secteur, with private sponsors. And through all of last year he raced mainly national, rather than UCI-ranked, events in Belgium.
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He took five podium finishes, one victory and placed 19th in the road race at the Belgian national championships. He again went through the winter with no team, but continued to live the life of a pro, and all the training that goes with it.
And now, for the second time in his career, a late contract offer has saved him; this time with Visma-Lease a Bike for the 2024 season. He fills the vacancy left by Lennard Hofstede who last month, aged 29, decided to opt out of pro cycling.
“I read everywhere that Julien was brought in on the advice of Wout van Aert. That's nonsense. Just as it was written that we tried to sign Edvald Boasson Hagen," said Visma-Lease a Bike sports director Merijn Zeeman.
"The correct story is that Julien often called me himself over the last two years, and not through an agent. I always had to say that I didn't have a place, but I did hear how motivated he was and how passionate he was about his profession. I saw how he invested in himself last year to remain a professional.
"When I called him a few weeks ago, he was again on his own training camp in Calpe. I then consulted with a number of people within the team. I also remember very well Julien Vermote from Quick-Step who could ride in the lead for hours.”
For his part, Vermote said he was delighted with his new deal, saying "it's the best contract I ever signed".
"Money was no object. It's proof that if you really want something you have to keep going for it. I really wasn't done with this profession yet. Although it was not always easy to join the registration table on an amateur race.
"You have to keep your goal in mind: one day returning to the pros. I thank my family for continuing to support me, both emotionally and financially. It is a fairytale that I would eventually end up at Visma-Lease a Bike.”
