Red and green dream for Lidl-Trek at La Vuelta? Mads Pedersen and Giulio Ciccone headline American team
Cycling
Lidl-Trek have revealed their '8' for the Vuelta a Espana and it includes big contenders for the red and green jerseys. The American team are led by Mads Pedersen and Giulio Ciccone in Spain, with a team that can afford to have high ambitions throughout the upcoming three weeks.
Mads Pedersen comes in as the team leader and favourite for the points classification, being one of the strongest sprinters on the startlist, having great capacity to climb - something crucial for the entire Grand Tour - and off the back of a dominant Tour of Denmark where he won three out of the five stages and the overall classification.
Whilst the Dane won't have a specialized leadout behind him, he will have Soren Kragh Andersen and Daan Hoole backing him up - both who can have stage ambitions of their own in the breakaways and time-trial respectively. Julien Bernard will have a supporting and breakaway-chasing role whilst Andrea Bagioli will want to show his best legs in the explosive finishes, likely also supporting Pedersen in a few days.
On the climber-side of the team Giulio Ciccone, recent winner of the Clásica San Sebastián and the queen stage of the Vuelta a Burgos, has good reasons to come in with high confidence into the race. The Italian will be a strong podium contender if he is able to stay upright throughout the three weeks, and can be a menace after having regained his winning ways. Carlos Verona and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier will be his main support men in the mountains.
Mads Pedersen
"Looking to the Vuelta, I’m excited. We have a really strong team, quite similar to the Giro, which was close to perfect. Until he crashed at the Giro, we showed that it worked well combining the stage and points jersey ambitions with Cicco in the mountains. Now at the Vuelta I think we can do the same, but I would love to see him reach all the way to Madrid with a top result".
"My first goal is to win some stages, and then hopefully that puts me in a good place for the points jersey. Having all three Grand Tour points jersey won by the team in one year would be the cherry on the top. My form is good, and the other guys in our team have shown they’re in really good shape too. I think we can go into the Vuelta with a lot of confidence and have some fun".
Giulio Ciccone
"It was not an easy time for me after the crash in the Giro. There was, of course, a lot of disappointment but once I saw through that, and believed again that there was the light at the end of the tunnel, I was motivated to come back racing stronger than before. I never expected to win immediately but victory in San Sebastián was something really incredible, and then to follow it up with a stage win at the Vuelta a Burgos just confirmed to me that my shape is where I want it to be".
"I’m feeling really happy at this point ahead of the Vuelta a España and I am going there with full confidence in myself and in the team I will be racing alongside. This race is always a special challenge, with difficult terrain, but my focus is to continue this momentum. We know the Vuelta can be unpredictable, but I’m determined to race at my highest level possible and make the most of every opportunity on the journey to Madrid".
Lidl-Trek for Vuelta a España 2025:
Andrea Bagioli
Julien Bernard
Giulio Ciccone
Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier
Daan Hoole
Soren Kragh Andersen
Mads Pedersen
Carlos Verona
Julien Bernard
Giulio Ciccone
Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier
Daan Hoole
Soren Kragh Andersen
Mads Pedersen
Carlos Verona
Ready for these guys to bring the heat to @lavuelta ☀️🇪🇸💃 pic.twitter.com/qTTkdQs2g0
— Lidl-Trek (@LidlTrek) August 19, 2025
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
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- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
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- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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