Consonni explains why Ganna and Pedersen can both benefit from Lidl-Trek partnership

Simone Consonni, who knows Filippo Ganna well from their time together on the track as well as at Colpack and UAE, believes his compatriot gives Lidl-Trek a new weapon across the board for 2027 after his departure from Netcompany-Ineos.

“Ganna is the kind of athlete who can shift the balance within a team. He’s highly effective across a wide range of events, from time trials to the Classics, and even in lead-outs,” Consonni told Bici.Pro. 

Beyond his versatility and quality, Consonni also highlighted Ganna’s willingness to work for others, which will make him an important ally for Lidl’s current leaders, including Jonathan Milan and Mads Pedersen. 

“We’ve seen what he’s capable of; he’s proven he can perform well in the Classics,” Consonni said. "He’s a phenomenon, it's like having someone like Van der Poel, Stuyven, or Van Aert acting as a lead-out man for the sprinters.”

“You know that these are world-class talents lending their skills to a common goal, and the same applies to Ganna. He’s a generous rider who will be a huge help to Milan and Pedersen.”

Lidl-Trek have been very active in the transfer market beyond the signing of Ganna, with the likes of Felix Gall and Jordi Meeus arriving, raising some questions about how the ambitions of the many potential leaders can coexist. 

Head of Performance Josu Larrazabal admitted in an interview with Marca that managing an abundance of stars will be a challenge for the team, but something they “can’t shy away from.” 

Meanwhile, Pedersen himself welcomed the arrival of Ganna on his Lang Distance podcast, explaining that the Italian’s arrival gives the team another option in the finale of Classics instead of relying on the Dane. 

"I think he'll complement me well in races. He knows that if we get into a finale and it comes down to a sprint, he knows who the sprinter is," Pedersen explained.

"But it certainly won't hurt me if we're in a finale and he has a rider up the road, for example. That means I can relax a bit more. Sometimes I'll lose because of that, and other times I'll definitely win because of it."

Consonni was asked if there was any possibility of the duo getting in each other's way, but the Italian sees their partnership as an opportunity rather than a point of friction.

“Absolutely not. Mads himself has said that while there might be races he loses because Ganna is there, there will be others he wins precisely thanks to him. The truth is, in this day and age, it’s better to have an extra strong rider at the front than one fewer,” Consonni said. 

“I recall the 2025 E3 Saxo Classic, when Pedersen and Ganna found themselves chasing Van der Poel. Back then, they were rivals and attacked each other; in a similar situation now, they would be working together.”

Ganna landed his first cobbled Classic this year, catching Wout van Aert in the closing metres to win Dwars door Vlaanderen in April. 

Now 30 and truly in his prime years, Consonni believes that making the difficult decision to leave Netcompany-Ineos after eight seasons could help take Ganna to another dimension.

“At this age, a change like this can help you find a new spark, something fresh. Even just regarding time trials, he’ll be able to approach his rivalry with Evenepoel from a different perspective,” Consonni said. 

“For my part, I can say that Lidl-Trek is investing heavily in research, development, and new technical solutions. I believe, in fact, I’m convinced that this is the right team for him.”