"We're up against very strong competitors like Van der Poel, Pogacar, and Evenepoel" but Lidl-Trek wants to get back to winning monuments

Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel currently dominate the spring classics with absolute dominance, and it's been this way for years. However Team Visma | Lease a Bike and Lidl-Trek can still realistically aim for big wins, with very strong blocks. The latter, besides Mads Pedersen, is growing an incredibly strong generation of specialists that could give fight in the next few years.

"It's been since Jasper Stuyven in Milan-Sanremo 2021 that we last stood on the top step of a monument. That's almost five years ago," Lidl-Trek DS Steven de Jongh said in words to Sporza. "We realize, of course, that we're up against very strong competitors like Van der Poel, Pogacar, and Evenepoel. But with the team we're currently preparing for the classics, we should definitely be able to achieve that goal."

The team has lost Jasper Stuyven this winter to Soudal - Quick-Step, who had his very best form back at the Tour of Flanders this year, but also Daan Hoole and Alex Kirsch. But they are being replaced by a group of riders that has immense talent and potential. However it's a team with set and incredibly strong leaders already, including Jonathan Milan who can fight for the win in some of the less difficult cobbled classics.

"The three classics that suit him best. Johnny's main dream is to win Paris-Roubaix. But first, he has to learn to ride on the cobblestones. Mads also had his sights set on Paris-Roubaix in the early years of his career. But he never achieved a victory because he kept destroying his equipment," de Jongh shares. "In recent years, Mads has come close. The more Johnny rides Paris-Roubaix, the better he'll ride on the cobblestones."

However the team's true potential lies in the depth that it may have already this spring, but certainly in future years. Pedersen and Milan are joined by Max Walscheid who can be key in flat races such as Paris-Roubaix; whilst Mathias Vacek, Jakob Söderqvist and Albert Philipsen can all be great winners in the coming years.

"Vacek will be a Siamese twin with Mads Pedersen [in 2026]. They will ride a similar program, with the difference that Vacek will also be taking on the Omloop. Vacek can learn a lot from Mads. He will continue to develop nicely in the coming years. When Pedersen retires, Vacek will certainly be ready to take over his role." Vacek, 23, is the most established, and better suited to the races with small climbs. His time trialist expertise makes him incredibly dangerous if he finds himself solo off the front at any point.

Then there is under-23 time trial World Champion Jakob Söderqvist, already a rider with several pro wins despite only signing with the elite team this winter, and one who despite his talent against the clock, wants to become a classics specialist above as shared with CyclingUpToDate on the team's media day.

"Söderqvist will always be in the classics squad this season. Last year, Söderqvist already impressed us at certain points. For example, he was incredibly strong in the team time trial at the Volta a Valencia. And of course, there was also his under-23 world time trial title. He's showing some really good things uphill, he's a phenomenon in the time trial, and he's already done some excellent leadouts."

The Swedish rider was also second at the under-23 Paris-Roubaix this year. And in first place? None other than teammate Albert Philipsen who is an off-road specialist and equally as impressive of a talent. "Albert has indicated that he's very keen to explore the Flemish classics this year. He's still very young, of course, but I hope he'll make an appearance in those cobbled classics. Philipsen will mainly explore the classics in the shadow of Pedersen, Milan, and Vacek. This will primarily be in a supporting role."

Besides its experienced domestiques, the team still has another potential trump card to play in Tim Torn Teutenberg, who will be given freedom in some of the smaller cobbled classics and sprints, is also a project in progress: "Tim is still very young. Last year, he collected a tremendous number of top finishes. He also often came close to winning. We hope he can now go for the win in those races."