Lidl seems to have one of the best atmospheres in the peloton, not only among the riders but also within the staff. It’s clear to me that there are both strong one-to-one relationships in the team and also great group dynamics (Milan's train with Consonni, Mads's classics team, Ciccone-Verona, Skjelmose and Alafaci as a soigneur) that work well in different configurations. There are no untouchable “stars” within the team, and even Pedersen, who appears to be the main leader, is actually the one who brings the most joy to the guys around him.
A few weeks ago, I saw Verona replying on Instagram to someone who asked if he would leave the team, saying that he “would not leave this team for anything in the world.” That speaks volumes about the spirit inside the team. With that in mind, and with guys like Verona and Ciccone, who are close to him in culture and style, I hope Ayuso will be able to adapt to this atmosphere and become part of it, because he clearly has huge talent.
I also have a lot of trust in Guarcilena’s vision regarding this move. After many years of working with a smaller budget — where I assume that riders like Tao and Kämna were riskier but more affordable bets to make things fit financially — it now looks like with Lidl he has reached a great balance between budget and rider quality.