“There must be a way to beat him" - Schleck determined to crack Pogacar code as he details Lidl-Trek's plan to become best in the world
Cycling
Andy Schleck is taking well to life at the helm of Lidl-Trek after almost a year with the team following his thorough learning of the sport after retirement. With ambitions to lead the team to becoming the best in the world, he knows finding a way to beat Tadej Pogacar is the key to unlocking his ambitions.
The Luxembourgish ex-rider ran a bike shop, worked for ASO and Škoda, as well as organised races in the years following his retirement at the end of 2014, gaining an all-angles perspective on the sport before taking the helm this season.
He believes his approach to running the team helps him bring a broad overview to the team: “I think I have seen 95 percent of all sides of cycling by now. As a result, I have a good overview of the sport," he told Wielerflits.
“They [riders, Ed.] form the smallest part of the team, but they are the most important. At the same time, I find it important to talk to the mechanics and listen to them as well.”
Tadej Pogacar at the 2026 Vuelta a España
Schleck enjoying return to heart of racing
Nothing beats the thrill of racing, and returning to the heart of the race - albeit in a team car on occasion - has helped him re-find his flare and love for road racing. When it comes to the sporting side, he reiterated Lidl-Trek's long term goal - creating a sustainable pathway to challenging UAE Team Emirates - XRG and Visma | Lease a Bike and becoming the best team in the world.
“Sometimes I’m even more nervous than when I was riding myself. I know my place isn’t really in the car, but when I have the time and freedom to jump in, I get incredibly nervous and excited. When I watch races, I’m in it with all my heart.
“From a sporting perspective, of course, we want to become the best team in the world. That is no secret; that is our long-term goal. But the most important thing is that we build a sustainable team that not only wins races but changes the sport. We are not here just to participate; we want to set new standards.”
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Beating Tadej Pogacar
Becoming the best means beating the best, and there's no-one better than UAE' all-conquering Pogacar. While some teams have settled into shaping their approach around the Slovenian, Schleck believes the only way is to continue to innovate and find a way to beat him.
Still only 28-years-old, his dominance and age profile means he's likely going nowhere in the coming years. Schleck finds motivation in rivalling the five-time Tour de France winner.
“There must be a way to beat him. We haven’t found it yet, because he continues to dominate the sport. But we keep searching and strengthening our resources. Eventually, we will find a way.
"It won’t be easy, but we are not afraid of challenges. We are not going to wait until he stops. We want to actively take on the fight.”
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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- RE would love to win there so he can give Pog a mental slap on home turf and he's not riding too !
leedorney02-10-2026 - It would be sooo romantic for Vollering to lead out the Dutch team for one of her team mates to take the win - if they’re able to take the win, of course. Either way, I hope this race is as exciting as the women WC’s!anonymouscyclist02-10-2026
- Male rider, right? This article drawers similarities to when Andy Murray corrected a reporter during a Wimbledon post-match press conference, in 2017, after being told that Sam Querrey was the first U.S. player to reach a major semi-final since 2009. Let’s make sure we clarify this is a male record, because this ‘rarely-seen statistic’ was not seen for first time in 27 years, but… in 1 year. Magdeleine Vallieres, 2025, WC first win of her season.anonymouscyclist02-10-2026
- I think non of us believe it. Issue is that the world champs jersey will be seen as bottle carrier and i cannot see mcnulty leading as classic races or even winning stages. It will not show world champs jersey in a good light alas.paultryan200202-10-2026
- Where does it say that? That is your biased opinion which just goes to show how biased our general education towards such subjects is. Instead of commenting on the inaccuracies of the comment, why don’t you question the oversight, lack of detail or precision of the article? Why is women’s sport almost always systematically ignored in a non gendered article on sport?Jumpyjohn02-10-2026
- Assuming at some point (unlike the Horners and Gianettis who had their peaks after they should have retired) TP will tire out, it will be very interesting to see how UAE evolve. A demise like Sky maybe?Jumpyjohn02-10-2026
- You’re « back »?Jumpyjohn02-10-2026
- If they have such advanced training strategies no other team can match, how do they keep it secret, how do they deal with people getting paid to leak info or riders switching teams?.Jumpyjohn02-10-2026
- Best go check you’re not at the bottom of that list now Nils, friends is a very precarious term in some circles.Jumpyjohn02-10-2026
- Alternatively, just raise (or let it rise and pretend you’re powerless to stop it) the price of oil a bit more and turn him into a pacemaker ;-)Jumpyjohn02-10-2026
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