Strength in depth shines through: Lidl-Trek 2025 verdict

Since the introduction of supermarket chain Lidl as a primary sponsor of the team, the standards and levels have been increasing year on year, and naturally, so do the expectations.

The team ended the 2024 season 4th in the UCI rankings with 42 victories, an excellent season, but with younger riders like Jonathan Milan, Mattias Skjelmose, and Thibau Nys among their ranks, the potential for further development was significant.

It wasn’t the busiest of transfer periods in the winter of 2024, with four riders coming in and three departing, meaning the core of the squad remained the same. Ultimately, the evergreen ambition of the team would have been to expand on their exploits in 2024, moving forward rather than stagnating or regressing.

Wins: 46
UCI Ranking: 3rd
The Verdict: 8.5/10

2025 was the team’s most fruitful season yet, with 46 victories, landing Lidl-Trek 3rd on the UCI rankings.

Lidl-Trek have one of the best riders in the World in Mads Pedersen, and the team made the bold decision to leave the Tour de France out of the Dane’s schedule for the first time since he made his debut at the race in 2020. However, it’s fair to say that the team reaped the rewards as Pedersen was able to take five stage wins across the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España. 

Meanwhile, this opened space for Jonathan Milan to embark on a successful Tour debut that saw the Italian win two stages and the points classification. In total, the Italian sprinter was victorious nine times in sprints in 2025. Lidl-Trek claimed the points classification at all three Grand Tours between Pedersen and Milan.

One of the team’s most valuable riders for many years, Giulio Ciccone, continued to age like a fine wine, culminating in a major victory in August at the Donostia San Sebastian Klasikoa.

Mattias Skjelmose beat Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel in a three-up sprint in one of the best races of the season to win the Amstel Gold Race.

Quinn Simmons was one of the most combative riders in the peloton all season long and was rewarded with two WorldTour stage wins at the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya and Tour de Suisse. Simmons ended his season with 4th at Il Lombardia, his best monument result, marking a big step up for the American champion. There were also maiden Grand Tour stage wins for Daan Hoole and Carlos Verona at the Giro.

Overall, Lidl-Trek are a team that boasts strength in depth, unlike most others, and this was also demonstrated by the likes of Toms Skujiņš, Andrea Bagioli, and Thibau Nys, who also finished inside the top 100 of the UCI season rankings. 

Only UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Visma | Lease a Bike featured more riders in the top 100 of these rankings than Lidl-Trek, proving that the American outfit has firmly established itself as one of the strongest teams in the sport. 2025 was a resounding success.

It’s been another standout season for Mads Pedersen, and arguably the best of his career to date, which is saying something, considering his previous exploits. In total, Pedersen won 14 times in 2025, 7 of which were at the WorldTour level, and he ended 4th in the UCI season rankings.

2025 started well for the Dane, winning a stage and the GC at the Tour de la Provence, before taking a stage at Paris-Nice and impressing with his climbing level. Pedersen then continued to enjoy an excellent spring as he defended his Gent-Wevelgem title, with a fine solo effort, and finished 2nd and 3rd at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

The Dane was dominant at the Giro d'Italia, winning three of the first five stages, with his victory on stage 5 coming whilst wearing the maglia rosa. Pedersen would add a fourth stage win during the second week, and the points classification.

Following his exploits at the Giro and after becoming the Danish time trial champion, Pedersen had a break from racing in the month of July. His return in August was explosive, winning three stages and the general classification at the PostNord Tour of Denmark.

The Vuelta a España proved to be a more difficult hunting ground for Pedersen, but success came on stage 15 via an exceptional breakaway performance from the Dane and his Lidl-Trek teammates. Pedersen added the points classification in Madrid to round out a 2025 season, which illustrates that the former World Champion is continuing to go from strength to strength with each passing year.

It wasn't only Mads Pedersen who shone at the Giro d'Italia, as Lidl-Trek delivered an exceptional team performance as a whole. 

Daan Hoole and Carlos Verona both claimed the first Grand Tour stage wins. For Hoole, it was an impressive feat to topple Josh Tarling (Ineos) in the individual time trial on stage 10. 

Meanwhile, Verona illustrated plenty of resilience and spirit to win from a breakaway, less than 24 hours after their team leader, Giulio Ciccone, crashed out of the race.

Pedersen added the points classification to his four stage wins, and the Dane will have had a lot to thank Mathias Vacek about, as the Czech rider was the ultimate teammate, particularly in the opening week. In all, it was a standout team performance, and a fine illustration of taking their opportunities and making the most of a race that didn’t feature Tadej Pogačar.

There weren’t many candidates in this category, with Lidl-Trek having signed four riders for the 2025 season. 

However, despite being only 19 years of age and still racing a blend of pro and under-23 races, the prestigious talent Albert Withen Philipsen has already impressed plenty.

2nd and 3rd place finishes at Tre Valli Varesine and Paris-Tours in October are perfect illustrations of what can start to expect on a regular basis for Philipsen going forward into 2026, which is an exciting prospect.

Daan Hoole raced 80 times for Lidl-Trek during 2025, including the Giro d'Italia, where he claimed a stage win and the Vuelta a España.

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