Lidl-Trek announced first eight riders to join their new development project

Lidl-Trek has undergone a seismic shift in the last month and a half, bringing on Lidl as a new sponsor, and along with it new kits, a new name and even greater ambitions in the WorldTour.

But beneath the surface, the operation isn’t changing much. The same world-class performance management team will oversee a strong and balanced group of men’s and women’s riders, and the team will still build around a culture of camaraderie and development. If anything, the team is doubling down on what has made it successful for years, introducing new development team from 2024 onwards.

The team will be registered at Continental level and will be based in Deinze, Belgium, where the Trek Factory Racing service course is located. And accommodations will be made for the young riders, including an option to stay at an apartment in Girona, Spain, where they can enjoy pristine training roads.

The devo team will be managed by Markel Irizar, who has headed up Lidl-Trek’s talent scouting operation since retiring as a rider in 2019. He will be in charge of recruiting and signing young riders to the squad, as well as overseeing their mentorship and performance. The new role is a major promotion for Irizar, and highlights the incredible confidence Lidl-Trek leadership has in his abilities.

"I’m gonna be the chain between the devo team and the World Tour team," Irizar explains. "If Luca tells me: 'Markel, do we have a super good climber?' I can say: 'We have it.' If he says: 'I need someone who can pull, do you have a strong rider with 80 kilos who can pull for five hours?' I can say: 'We have it.' We need to have the resources that the team will need in the future."

List of riders who'll be joining Lidl-Trek Development Team next year:
Tim Torn Teutenberg (Germany, born in 2002)
Mats Wenzel (Luxembourg, 2002)
Axandre Van Petegem (Belgium, 2002)
Kristian Egholm (Denmark, 2004)
Nils Aebersold (Switzerland, 2003)
Louis Leidert (Germany, 2005)
Liam O’Brien (Ireland, 2005)
Patrick Frydkjær (Denmark, 2005)