"We can't beat him man to man, but we can with the team" - Toms Skujins opens up on Lidl-Trek's plans to stop Tadej Pogacar in 2025

After his dominant 2024, UAE Team Emirates leader Tadej Pogacar has become a big problem for the rest of the peloton. One of those teams tasked with stopping the Slovenian if they intend to get big victories will be Lidl-Trek and as revealed by their rider Toms Skujins, they already have a plan in mind.

In particular, it's in the Classics that Lidl-Trek and Pogacar will go head to head. Alongside Skujins, the team can boast considerable talent such as Mads Pedersen, Jonathan Milan, Thibau Nys, and Soren Kragh Andersen among others, giving them plenty of strength in depth and it's in this way that Skujins believes Lidl-Trek can challenge the world champion. 

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"Hopefully, we can show that with results. This year, we missed some big goals. I just managed to finish in the top ten in Flanders, and of course, we wanted more there," Skujins explains in conversation with the respected cycling journalist Daniel Benson. "However, there have always been races where it didn't materialise, and if we can compete in every race, that would be perfect."

And when it comes to going up against the all-conquering Pogacar? "He's welcome to challenge us," Skujins comments fiercely. "It's not going to change much for us. Of course, he is a contender in every race he starts; there is no doubt about that. But at the same time, I have confidence in our team. The same story continued in Gent-Wevelgem. It wasn't just Mads who won; it was the whole team. With Pogacar, it will be a similar scenario. Maybe we can't beat him man to man, but we can with the team."

When reflecting on his own 2024 season, Skujins is relatively happy. "For sure, the whole year was super good, and I hit every goal that I had. It hit them as good as I could, so it wasn't a perfect year, but as close to it," the 33-year-old Latvian assesses. "The one-day races were a big goal in 2024, and they will be again next year. I want to improve there, but we must progress in all areas every season. If there's one thing where I can get better, it's my sprint. That holds me back a little bit. I'm not saying I'm slow, but it's something I can't rely on."

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