Lidl-Trek face Tour de France selection headache as Kim Andersen weighs star riders for 2027

With the route now revealed, Lidl-Trek must decide how to balance the ambitions of Mattias Skjelmose, Mads Pedersen and Jonathan Milan, along with several other riders capable of leading the team at a Grand Tour.

Sports director Kim Andersen already has some ideas, although he is keeping them to himself.

Speaking to Feltet following Thursday's route presentation, Andersen admitted he had secretly followed the announcement on his phone during a team meeting to review the 2026 season.

What he saw was a route featuring seven potential sprint stages, some punishing days in the mountains and 71 kilometres of individual time trialling, giving Lidl-Trek plenty to think about.

Mattias Skjelmose has reason to be encouraged by the route, particularly after finishing sixth overall at this year's Tour de France.

The Dane also impressed in the stage 16 individual time trial, finishing third behind Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogačar on the 26.1-kilometre course to Thonon-les-Bains, just 64 seconds behind the Belgian.

The 2027 Tour features two considerably longer tests against the clock, with a 38-kilometre time trial from Blois to Chambord and another covering 33 kilometres around Toulouse.

Andersen believes the route could suit Skjelmose, although he pointed particularly to the mountain stages.

"I could see it as a good Tour for Mattias. Also when you look at the mountain stages. But I haven't said he's riding," he told Feltet.

Nothing has been decided yet, with the team also having to consider its ambitions elsewhere on the calendar.

The route could also appeal to Mads Pedersen and Jonathan Milan, although finding room for both remains a question.

"It could also be a good Tour for Mads and a good Tour for Milan," Andersen said.

"What I can say is that if we get it right, I think we could have a really fun Tour. That's all I can say."

Lidl-Trek have kept Pedersen and Milan apart at Grand Tours for the past three seasons, giving both riders their own sprint opportunities and support.

If that rotation continues, Pedersen would return to the Giro d'Italia in 2027, with Milan heading to the Tour. But Andersen would not say whether the team is considering pairing them together.

"That's not up to me to say. Nothing has been decided yet," he explained.

The arrival of Grischa Niermann as the team's new sporting boss also means the planning process is still in its early stages.

"He's been told a few things and is evaluating how we've worked this year. Then he'll start putting his stamp on how we do things next year," Andersen said.

"We're nowhere near anything official yet. We won't even start putting together race programmes until November and December."

Beyond Skjelmose, Milan and Pedersen, Lidl-Trek have no shortage of potential Tour leaders. Juan Ayuso, Derek Gee and Felix Gall all have general classification ambitions, while Jordan Jegat provides another option in the mountains.

New signing Filippo Ganna, Mathias Vacek and Quinn Simmons are all capable of winning stages, adding further competition for places.

The Giro d'Italia route presentation on November 3 should provide more clarity on how Lidl-Trek might divide their leaders between the two Grand Tours.

Andersen, though, already has some thoughts of his own.

"After seeing the Tour route, I have my own ideas about who should ride which races, but that's not the team's plan."

As for revealing those ideas?

"I'm not going to tell you, because then it would be all over the headlines tomorrow," he laughed.