Lidl-Trek (no longer Radioshack-Leopard Trek)

[staubsauger]

So basically their leaders GT schedule for 2026 should look like this:

Giro - Milan; Ciccone; Nys
Tour - Pedersen; Ayuso; Skjelmose
Vuelta - Skjelmose

You forgot about the Grand Tour superstar and former race winner that is going to captain Lidl at the 2026 Giro d'Italia!

 

[RedheadDane]

Aww... Pedersen is such a nice guy:
Inviting Söderqvist to join the Dane group!

 

[MLKarlos]

🚨 Cycling Transfers: Is Derek Gee heading to Lidl-Trek?

Canadian rider heavily linked with a move to the German team but no confirmation just yet

dnlbenson.substack.com

If it is indeed happening…please dear media, we need 50000 articles about the leadership puzzle at Lidl as we got them with RBH! Super important

 

[ice&fire]

🚨 Cycling Transfers: Is Derek Gee heading to Lidl-Trek?

Canadian rider heavily linked with a move to the German team but no confirmation just yet

dnlbenson.substack.com

If it is indeed happening…please dear media, we need 50000 articles about the leadership puzzle at Lidl as we got them with RBH! Super important

Ayuso alone will trigger half of those 50000 articles

 

[Cycling111]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1999783474300129366

View: https://x.com/i/status/1999783474300129366

 

[Cycling111]

🚨 Cycling Transfers: Is Derek Gee heading to Lidl-Trek?

Canadian rider heavily linked with a move to the German team but no confirmation just yet

dnlbenson.substack.com

If it is indeed happening…please dear media, we need 50000 articles about the leadership puzzle at Lidl as we got them with RBH! Super important

LIDL and Red Bull are the "nice" teams.
Visma and specially UAE are the teams to criticize if they sign a lot of talent.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

🚨 Cycling Transfers: Is Derek Gee heading to Lidl-Trek?

Canadian rider heavily linked with a move to the German team but no confirmation just yet

dnlbenson.substack.com

If it is indeed happening…please dear media, we need 50000 articles about the leadership puzzle at Lidl as we got them with RBH! Super important

In Ayuso and Skjelmose, they have two of the most fragile egos in the sport involved in said puzzle, and one of them already blew his lid at the media day. So it's only a matter of time before said articles sprout like mushrooms.

 

[MLKarlos]

I had no idea that Skjelmose is so fragile ^^

 

[Wyndbrook]

Splash the cash, its what happens when a team suddenly has money and the top superstars are not available.
At least mrs W shops in Sainsburys, otherwise I would be worried about the upcoming price increases.

 

[memyselfandI]

Really good catch if they get Gee to the team, he could be such super quality gc domestique/road captain for Ayuso and Skjelmose.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Gee will slot right in and become the team's leader in the Giro. That would lift both the Giro and Lidl's prospects.

 

[Boehmand]

So basically their leaders GT schedule for 2026 should look like this:

Giro - Milan; Ciccone; Nys
Tour - Pedersen; Ayuso; Skjelmose
Vuelta - Skjelmose

As far as I know they are bringing Ciccone for the Tour as well.

It will be interesting to see what they do with Gee (if the rumours are true), if they were to bring him to the Tour also that would give them an abundance of options, but with Pedersen going for green as well it is probably a step too far - they may do Giro/Vuelta with Gee instead or indeed swap Ciccone out of the Tour squad.

 

[RedheadDane]

BTW, I'm just waiting for the pictures of M. Norsgaard og Realini standing next to each other.

 

[Boehmand]

BTW, I'm just waiting for the pictures of M. Norsgaard og Realini standing next to each other.

Imagine if they had kids, and they got 1 leg and 1 arm from each parent

 

[RedheadDane]

Imagine if they had kids, and they got 1 leg and 1 arm from each parent

Whaaaat?

Also, I think Mathias' wife might have a thing or two to say about such a situation.

 

[Boehmand]

Whaaaat?

Also, I think Mathias' wife might have a thing or two to say about such a situation.

Sure, but on the other hand she may contribute to creating the perfect track rider!

 

[RedheadDane]

Sure, but on the other hand she may contribute to creating the perfect track rider!

Yeah, but what if it's for example the left leg that's longer, but the right arm?
Then we'd just have some poor kid looking really strange...

 

[Boehmand]

Yeah, but what if it's for example the left leg that's longer, but the right arm?
Then we'd just have some poor kid looking really strange...

Olympic shot putter!

(every cloud has a silver lining)

 

[Ilmaestro99]

Gee was putting all his training rides to Strava, but stopped on the 12 December which is when he was reported to be travelling to the Lidl trek camp.

 

[rallybanana]

Andy and Frank are back

Lidl-Trek appoints Andy Schleck as Deputy General Manager | Trek Race Shop

The home of Trek Factory Racing, and all the Trek programs. Whether its road, XC, enduro, downhill, freeride, cyclocross or triathlon, you’ll find a Trek athlete, racing for the win.

racing.trekbikes.com

Frank Schleck joins Lidl-Trek Sport Director group | Trek Race Shop

The home of Trek Factory Racing, and all the Trek programs. Whether its road, XC, enduro, downhill, freeride, cyclocross or triathlon, you’ll find a Trek athlete, racing for the win.

racing.trekbikes.com

 

[RedheadDane]

Just realised how much of a family affair this whole organisation is. From the top of my head they have:

Kim and Sebastian Andersen.
Ava and Isabella Holmgren.
Emma and Mathias Norsgaard.
Sven and Thibau Nys*
Mads and Martin Pedersen
Andy and Fränk Schleck
Ina-Yoko and Tim Torn Teutenberg

*At least I'm pretty sure that (1) the Baloise-I-am-not-going-to-write-the-whole-name-Lions team is the official CX branch of the organisation, and (2) Sven Nys has an official role within that team.

 

[Brullnux]

Mick Rogers out, Fränk Schleck in as Lidl-Trek carry out major shake-up of senior management

Significant senior management shakeup also affects finance and marketing as well as sporting side of teams operation

www.cyclingnews.com

All change?

More broadly, I think the ever increasing centrality of the Tour de France to cycling is a real shame. Lidl had a fantastic classics squad but then lost Hoole, Declerq, Kirsch and Stuyven and replaced them with Ayuso, Gee, Sobrero, and Walscheid. Obviously the fruits of a sponsor push to be more GT focused (GC and sprints).

It's a risky strategy results-wise, and I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up looking like Quickstep 2023-2025 rather than Quickstep 2010s (which in an ideal world would have been their aim).

 

[Rob5091]

Something's going on and I reckon someone's wondering, why don't we have a Pogacar?
https://www.cyclingnews.com/pro-cyc...arry-out-major-shake-up-of-senior-management/

"bold goals for the coming years, including claiming yellow jerseys at both the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes."

Good luck with that plan!

 

[Axel Hangleck]

Mick Rogers out, Fränk Schleck in as Lidl-Trek carry out major shake-up of senior management

Significant senior management shakeup also affects finance and marketing as well as sporting side of teams operation

www.cyclingnews.com

All change?

More broadly, I think the ever increasing centrality of the Tour de France to cycling is a real shame. Lidl had a fantastic classics squad but then lost Hoole, Declerq, Kirsch and Stuyven and replaced them with Ayuso, Gee, Sobrero, and Walscheid. Obviously the fruits of a sponsor push to be more GT focused (GC and sprints).

It's a risky strategy results-wise, and I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up looking like Quickstep 2023-2025 rather than Quickstep 2010s (which in an ideal world would have been their aim).

It should be the exact opposite; the Tour has an unhealthy hold on the sport, and that needs to change.....and until it does, the sport will remain as it is.