"We want to change cycling": Former Tour de France winner returns to lead Lidl-Trek's revolution

Andy Schleck has officially stepped into his new role as General Manager of Lidl-Trek, marking a high-profile return to the structure where he ended his racing career in 2014. The 2010 Tour de France champion is now responsible for the entire operation of the German-licensed squad, joining his brother Fränk, who took up a position as sports director for the women's team in November.

Schleck has spent the years since his retirement building a portfolio outside the team car. From working as a race director and business owner to serving as a long-time ambassador for Skoda, he insists that his return to team management was a carefully pondered decision.

"Coming back to this leading position is not something I take lightly," Schleck told WielerFlits in an interview. "I take it very, very seriously. It is not that I just step in because I want a place in the team. This is what I live for. I see it as the next step in my life."

Schleck is keen to emphasize that the man leading the boardroom is different from the man who conquered the Tour de France 16 years ago.

"Although my name is still the same, many people think of the cyclist Andy Schleck. But a lot has happened in the last ten years," he explained. "I have done a lot: founded companies, set up global partnerships, been a race director and I have done a lot in hospitality... Back with the same name, but as a different person."

He believes this dual perspective - business knowledge combined with elite sporting experience - is his greatest asset. "I bring a lot of business experience, but I also know better than anyone how a rider can feel," Schleck noted. "What it is like to go to the Tour de France with the yellow jersey around your shoulders, or with the expectation of finishing on the podium. Those lessons are not written in a book. I hope that with my experiences, I can contribute to the development of Lidl-Trek in many ways . We want to change cycling."

Schleck’s vision for Lidl-Trek involves infrastructure investments designed to professionalize the sport further. The team is planning to construct "cycling hubs" for riders in popular residence locations like Andorra and Monaco, alongside a major headquarters and performance center in Germany.

"We are looking for that extra percentage," Schleck said regarding the new facilities. "How can we support the riders at home to disturb their scarce free time as little as possible? They are on the road a lot. Relaxing is also important to be able to perform. Achieving a small profit of one percent can make a big difference in current cycling."

Schleck, now 40, has 11 professional wins, including the 2010 Tour de France, three stage wins at the Tour, the 2009 Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Luxembourgian nationals (both road race and time trial) and two stages of the Sachsen-Tour International. A knee injury forced a premature retirement in 2014 during the Tour de France.