Lidl-Trek in search of a top-tier leader: "It's not easy to compete with the big teams and riders like Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel"

Lidl-Trek belongs among the teams who don't have deep into their pockets, but it didn't really reflect in their transfer market activity with only four new recruits into 2025. The team of manager Luca Guercilena seems to by quite content with its current lineup, although there's always room for improvement. The one thing the American is missing seems to be a world-class leader, someone who could fight for a Grand Tour title.

Lidl joined the team mid-2023 and their significant investment allowed Guercilena to massively improve the quality of the men's team, the already strong women's team, and even set up a top development structure. However the Lidl effect wasn't as immediate as we may have expected.

"We were a good team before Lidl came on board but our budget was limited. We need to strengthen the team and improve and we did that in 2023 and 2024. Now, we have to step up even more. We've got to show how good we really are," Guercilena explains in an interview for Cyclingnews.

Mattias Skjelmose made a good impression with 5th place at Vuelta, but it's still quite far from the team's idea of Tour de France podium, let alone victory. In addition Tao Geoghegan Hart is still struggling with consequences of his injury and Giulio Ciccone never really became the GC leader he aspired to be. Who will be guiding light for Lidl-Trek then?

"There are two ways to have a Grand Tour leader - you can develop them in-house, which takes time and needs a scouting programme and a development team, or you buy them," Guercilena said, admitting Lidl-Trek are looking at both options.

But the options are very limited and Guercilena prefers to not rush things. "It's not easy to compete with the big teams and riders like Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel but that's what we want to do. We tend to look more long to medium term and develop our riders in-house."

"Pro cycling never sleeps, nobody waits for the Tour de France anymore, the rider market and talks go on all year, even before the final 12 months of a rider's contract. We're already active and studying the riders and deals that could be available for 2026 and fit in our project. If somebody comes to the market, we'll look at them carefully."