Lidl-Trek veteran calls time on decade-long career – Max Walscheid retires despite having a contract for next season
Cycling
Lidl-Trek rider Max Walscheid has confirmed his retirement from professional cycling after a career of over ten years. Despite having a contract for 2027, the rider will join the team's sporting structure.
The German rider bids farewell to professional cycling on October 3rd in the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro, a race he won once before in 2018. He'll then transition into his new role at the CRIVIT Performance Center, the sports brand of team sponsor Lidl.
The 33-year-old has been combining his career as a cyclist with medical studies for several years and will contribute to the Health & Performance Team there.
“Max will use his experience in elite sport and medicine to help the team move forward,” Lidl-Trek said. “There he can put the knowledge he has gained into practice and utilize his academic background.”
Walscheid's decade-long career included 14 wins
Taking 14 wins during his career, he impressively tasted victory at the ZLM Tour earlier this month. However, he admitted that saying goodbye to the sport that shaped him will be a difficult transition.
“I believe that cycling has shaped me, and I will never let go of this part of myself,” Walscheid said.
“Working in a top-level sports environment with opportunities to test and optimize is something I find incredibly interesting. Saying goodbye to something you are so passionate about is never easy. It hurts, but this is the perfect moment to say goodbye.”
Lidl-Trek cycling team
Walscheid will continue his medical training while transitioning into the role and admitted his gratitude to the team.
"I am extremely grateful to Lidl-Trek for allowing me to continue working with the team in our performance department. While I complete my medical training, I will soon be working behind the scenes, and I am really looking forward to it."
Combining racing knowledge and medical experience
CEO Andy Schleck hopes his racing experience and medical background can make the perfect combination for the role: “What makes him suitable for this new role is the combination of his racing experience and medical background. He knows what a rider goes through, and his medical training gives him the tools to understand why. We are happy that we can retain that perspective within the team.”
Read also
The departure means that the team currently has 29 riders confirmed for 2027 already, with reports indicating that the team was already over their maximum of 30 riders for the season.
UCI regulations stipulate that a WorldTour team can have a maximum of thirty riders under contract, provided that two neo-pros are among them.
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- ridiculous. a normal racing incident. how lame do you have to be to complain about that?Ketterechts06-11-2026
- Rubbing is racing.
santiagobenites06-11-2026 - Throws an elbow, but crashes afterwards and he's upset.
Front24206-11-2026 - There should be nothing but praise for them: 1. Trying to make things safer, and 2. Trying something "new".acem8206-11-2026
- And a bit of a malcontent on top of it all that doesn’t help.mij06-11-2026
- Hopefully it was just a particularly bad year!Lozza05-11-2026
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- You can't complete a journey without taking next step. He has to do that or start looking for another job. I hope he can get his act together. It's a make or break next season for him. I wish him well.Cyclingsbestfan05-11-2026
- does anyone really think he is taking a next step?mij05-11-2026
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