“It is important that I go to a team where performance is the number one priority.” Jordi Meeus reflects on future amid Lidl-Trek speculation
Cycling
Jordi Meeus enters the final phase of his contract without a confirmed destination for 2027, with growing speculation linking the Belgian sprinter to Lidl-Trek. The Belgian sprinter, who has steadily built his status in the WorldTour with multiple sprint wins and a Tour de France stage victory, insists his priority is finding the right performance environment rather than becoming the undisputed leader in a team.
Strong team support shapes his current success
Meeus is currently in outstanding form, following recent victories including wins in 4 Jours de Dunkerque and Tour de Wallonie, and a sprint success at the Brussels Cycling Classic. That consistency has been underpinned by a well-functioning lead-out structure, which he again highlighted after his latest victory.
“The strength of the team definitely gives me confidence,” Meeus said. “It was a bit of a wait-and-see situation with Laurence Pithie because he had a heavy crash during the final stage of Wallonia on Friday. But he covers the attacks perfectly if the racing gets a bit too tough for me. It is always a second card we can play, which is very positive for the team.”
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A key part of that structure remains his partnership with Danny van Poppel, who continues to play a central role in positioning him for sprint finishes. “Yes, exactly,” Meeus said. “Danny has a lot of experience in lead-outs, and it brings me a lot of peace of mind when I can do a sprint with him.”
Despite transfer discussions intensifying externally, Meeus insists his immediate focus remains on performance and upcoming objectives, including potential Tour de France selection and key late-season targets.
“Yes, I am still in it,” he said regarding his Tour selection chances. “I don't know if it's going to be very difficult to make that final selection. The victory today and from the previous weeks definitely help. But anyway, next week there is still Copenhagen and then the Belgian National Championships, so those are also great goals.”
He also highlighted his strong connection to the Copenhagen race, where he already claimed victory. “Last year was the first edition, and I managed to win it. So it’s nice to go back there.”
Meeus joined BORA - hansgrohe in 2021
Shared sprint leadership as a key factor in his thinking
Looking ahead to his future, Meeus made clear that his priority is not to become the undisputed lead sprinter in a team, but rather to thrive in a structured and performance-driven environment where responsibilities are shared.
“No, that's true,” he said when asked about Lidl-Trek already having several sprinters. “But like I said, I am not the type of rider who absolutely must be the sole sprinter or the single leader. I perform well in an environment where I can share leadership and race alongside other top riders.”
That perspective is particularly relevant given the structure at Lidl-Trek, where both Jonathan Milan and Mads Pedersen already occupy major finishing and sprinting roles. Any potential move would therefore likely place Meeus in a shared leadership model, something he appears comfortable with as long as performance opportunities remain consistent and well-supported across the season.
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - i did not see it. was the relegation justified or an overly hard decision? and don‘t cross riders deviate from straight lines all the time? bumping into each others when they cut corners, etc … why being more strict with the rules on the finish sprint?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- seems like we are advertising the website with pointless comments…Ketterechts08-11-2026
- So?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- The UCI do have their favorites.
Front24208-11-2026 - On a positive note, you maybe notice turning this topic into a discussion has the benefit of eliminating certain participants who do not see how they can turn it back to their sole interest ;-)Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- People see what they want to. I am actually the opposite of your accusation, probably more of a rebel than most of you who don’t get the big picture. The difference is, I don’t go moaning publicly about the consequences of my transgressions, I understand the need for rules and I take my OWN responsibility when deciding to ignore or break them or doing so involuntarily. I will also not hesitate to state my case or argue vehemently when relevant, sometimes it works, sometimes it makes things worse but that’s the price to pay for principles and having character.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
- That may be but that was unknown to others and nothing says that’s the whole truth. Again, don’t try to misinterpret, it is a call and technically it is correct. Besides, even if there is a valid reason, that does not disqualify the ruling or punishment as far as the rules have been developed. I don’t think they’re as far as in football where for handball there is a distinction (in some ways and specific cases) between intentional or not. And football can be just as harsh and people live with it, eg the offside rule, also judged to within tiny fractions but often wrong or ignored. It’s the nature of every collective organisation and sometimes I wonder if our rebellion against it isn’t seated in the feelings we carry from the injustices we’ve felt personally, like being flashed driving 1km/h too fast when we are explained limits are just a security measure but we are absolutely certain not to have endangered anyone with our transgression. The problem is, nobody has better solutions and no 2 people have the same interpretation of where a limit should be.Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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