Visma Lease-a-Bike has added a 28th rider to its roster for the 2024 season, signing Belgian rider Julien Vermote to a one-year contract.

Vermort, who has represented Quick Step, Dimension Data, Cofidis, and Alpecin Deceuninck, raced at the amateur level last season, sponsored by Secteur Duoral, after not finding a professional contract. The Belgian rider is now back at the World Tour level as the final rider of Visma Lease-a-Bike's 2024 team.

In recent days, there have been reports of the 34-year-old Vermote's imminent arrival at Visma, and the team confirmed the deal on Monday morning. Vermote will replace Renard Hofstede, who recently announced his retirement.

"With Leonard's departure, we needed to find a suitable replacement as soon as possible and we are delighted to have landed Julien.

"He has a wealth of experience and is immediately available as a helper. He is very motivated and passionate about his work."

[10 [2012 Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen, stage winner at the Tour of Britain in 2014 and 2016. He spent seven years with the Belgian team Quick Step, followed by short stints with other top-level teams and a year as an elite solo rider in 2023.

Last season, Vermote was a regular at the top end of Belgium's Kermesse circuit, with several podiums and wins. He also competed against the pros in the Belgian National Championship road race, finishing 19th.

He will join his new teammates at the Visma-Lease a Bike preseason training camp in Spain on Monday. He will be an all-around domestique in a team made up of star players.

"I am very happy to be given this opportunity," Vermote said. "Team Visma Lease-a-Bike is a top-notch team and I want to contribute to that. I can't wait to start with the team next week at training camp."

Vermote is the eighth and final signing for the team in 2024. He joins Matteo Jorgenson (Movistar), Ben Tourette (Ineos Grenadiers), and Sian Uitdebloks (Bora-Hansgrohe) on the 2024 entry list, along with Primos Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Tobias Foss ( Ineos Grenadiers) will be the big leavers.