UAE boss reveals that team was close to signing Albert Philipsen but "Lidl-Trek was an ideal choice for what he was looking for"
Cycling
In 2025 bigger and bigger difference between team's budgets continue to emerge in the sport of cycling. Sponsors' investments are immediately noticeable (Red Bull with Roglic, Q36.5 with Pidock or Tudor with Hirschi and Alaphilippe, as examples). Another big change was the entrance of Lidl as the title sponsor of Lidl-Trek, and this played a big role in the team's signing of Albert Philipsen who looked destined to also join UAE Team Emirates - XRG.
At just 18 years old, Albert Philipsen had an offer from UAE. However, the young Dane preferred to commit to Lidl-Trek for a sporting reason. He wanted to continue competing in Mountain Bike and Cyclocross, something that the UAE team did not offer him and the American team did - having experience with riders who combine multiple disciplines already. UAE manager Joxean Fernández Matxín told this in an interview in AS:
"Albert Philipsen, I didn't talk to him specifically, the team did. He was looking for a multidiscipline that we couldn't give him because we don't have, for example, mountain bike or cyclocross teams. In his case, Lidl-Trek was an ideal choice for what he was looking for".
So far, at the beginning of the season, Philipsen has already shown very good legs and, for example, has managed to "snatch" from Pablo Torres the best young rider's jersey at the last Santos Tour Down Under, his pro debut with the American team.
Nowadays, riders signing for the World Tour are becoming younger and younger, and not only has Philipsen taken the leap at 18 years of age, but he is legitimately a rider who can already perform amongst the elite field. However his true potential lies in his multi-disciplinary abilities. A rider very similar to Tom Pidcock, he did not race cyclocross this winter but is amongst the best in his category of his age, and last summer he became Junior World Champion in MTB despite being only his second race.
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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.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
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)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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- He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026 - Uwielbiam patrzeć, jak wyjeżdża na czoło peletonu i zaczyna się rzeź...Dariusz08-11-2026
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parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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- Yes, so why not make comments less pointless?Jumpyjohn08-11-2026
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Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - There really was nothing in it. Schreiber was so much faster, and Brand was fighting to stay in the wheel in the sprint. Schreiber did move a bit, but to say she closed the door doesn't make sense because Brand couldn't enter it anyway, abd she wasn't impeded.Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026
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