Lidl-Trek on Tour dilemma: 'Pedersen and Milan just don’t work'
Lidl-Trek sports director Kim Andersen admits the team faces some difficult decisions as they look ahead to the 2026 season. With both Mads Pedersen and Jonathan Milan among the best in the world when it comes to chasing points jerseys and stage wins, the team must decide how to balance two riders with similar ambitions.
“It’s no secret that the green jersey [in the Tour de France] is also a goal for Mads,” Andersen told Feltet. “But he’s got a few more years of experience than Milan. Still, they can’t ride together if Mads is also going for the green jersey,” he said frankly. “On the flat stages, he would be the world’s best lead-out man for Johnny, but then he can’t chase points like he usually does, even on stages that don’t suit him 100 percent. At the moment, it just doesn’t work,” he elaborated.
The overlap in their goals extends beyond the Grand Tours. Milan has also identified several of the same objectives as Pedersen for the coming season, a clear sign of both riders’ hunger and ability to perform across a long campaign.
That ambition comes from success. In 2025, Pedersen and Milan had exceptional seasons and helped Lidl-Trek become the first team ever to win all three points classifications in one year. Pedersen took four stage wins and the points jersey at the Giro d’Italia, added another stage win and the points jersey at the Vuelta a España, while Milan claimed two stages and the green jersey on his Tour de France debut.
For now, Andersen can’t yet reveal which of the two will ride which Grand Tours in 2026. “That’s still something we have to decide within the sporting management,” he said. Andersen admits that Pedersen is keen to return to the Tour. “Of course, he wants to go back.”
The route, presented last week, certainly looks favourable for the Dane.
"It looks great. He could have a fantastic start if he’s there. We’ve shown a few times now that we’re pretty good in the team time trial. Then there’s a tough second stage, which could suit him really well. There are also four pure sprint stages and two that could end in a sprint or a breakaway. But I don’t see the last stage as a sprint – we saw that this year, it’s too chaotic,” Andersen explained, referring to the Montmartre finish in Paris.
Pedersen himself has also expressed his wish to return to the race next year. If he does, Lidl-Trek will once again face the enviable dilemma of managing two riders who both expect to win.
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