Mads Pedersen and Mattias Skjelmose lead Lidl-Trek at Vuelta - Green jersey not a goal as stage wins and general classification-focused line-up named
CyclingTuesday, 18 August 2026 at 14:26
Lidl-Trek will hope that their 2026 Vuelta a España line-up spells double-trouble for their rivals as they bring a team focused on both the general classification and stage wins, ruling out the green jersey as a major goal for Mads Pedersen.
Pedersen comes in the hunt for stage wins while Mattias Skjelmose fronts the general classification challenge off the back of his impressive Tour de France performance last month. Elsewhere, Thibau Nys returns from injury while Julien Bernard, Lennard Kämna, Patrick Konrad, Jacopo Mosca and Mathias Norsgaard complete the line-up.
Sports director Maxime Monfort announced the team's goals for the final Grand Tour of the season, outlining their ambitious plan for a high GC placing and a couple of bouquets to go with it.
He said: "We start with eight motivated guys. Skjelly is the GC leader. It's his second Grand Tour, but he's really feeling great, and he's going for GC. We can dream big, but, of course, he doesn't know how he's going to react in the third week. Everything is going well for the moment.
Mads Pedersen not targeting green jersey
"Then we have Mads who is also riding his second Grand Tour. He will not specifically chase green and wants to help the team as well as targeting stage wins – it is great to have him in this state."
Monfort highlighted Kämna and Bernard's importance in the mountains for Skjelmose while both Mosca and Norsgaard will help support both leaders across rolling terrain.
"Thibau hasn’t had the perfect preparation because he was sick but we believe he can be good and we are happy to have him. He can be a game-changer in stage hunting and can help the team in general.
"We also have Julien who is a great helper with a lot of experience, the same with Konrad and Kämna who are really important in the mountains. Jacopo Mosca was impressive in Poland and is always committed, and so is Norsgaard who will do a job protecting Skjelly and Mads."
Mattias Skjelmose
Nys happy with preparation
Despite a disappointing season with injury, Nys feels confident that he can reach the level he wants to challenge for stage wins as he looks to turn a corner heading into the end of season.
"It’s clear that the season is far from what I had hoped for after my knee injury, surgery and the whole recovery from that," Nys said.
"I have the feeling I am in the shape I wanted to be and I can’t expect more than that after what I have been through. Actually, the last training rides I did really surprised me with my good shape. I hope I can show that in the Vuelta, I think we have a really nice team and some clear goals. I am looking forward to it and I hope to turn around the bad luck of this year and finish it off nicely."
Lidl-Trek at the 2026 Vuelta a España
| Riders |
| Mads Pedersen |
| Mattias Skjelmose |
| Julien Bernard |
| Lennard Kämna |
| Patrick Konrad |
| Jacopo Mosca |
| Mathias Norsgaard |
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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