Lidl-Trek sign Tour de France stage winner Jordi Meeus for new role

Lidl-Trek have strengthened their sprint group for 2027 by signing Jordi Meeus, with the Belgian agreeing a contract through the end of the 2028 season.

The move will see Meeus leave Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe after six seasons and take on a slightly different role to the one he has become accustomed to.

While the 28-year-old will continue to receive opportunities of his own, particularly in the Classics and selected sprint races, he is also expected to become an important part of the lead out around Jonathan Milan.

For a rider with a Tour de France stage victory and 19 professional wins to his name, that represents a notable change in direction.

“My ambitions are to win a lot of races with the team,” Meeus said in a statement by the team. “I will help Jonny in the lead outs, I will try to bring him as best as possible to the sprints. I also have my own ambitions with some Classics and other sprint races when I have my chances.”

“I look forward to a slightly different role than I’m used to, but I’m really looking forward to stepping into the sprint train and growing as a rider.”

Meeus arrives with a record that gives Lidl-Trek considerably more than another lead out option.

His biggest victory remains the final stage of the 2023 Tour de France, when he beat Jasper Philipsen, Dylan Groenewegen and Mads Pedersen in a photo finish on the Champs Élysées. It came on his Tour debut and against a Philipsen who had already won four stages during that edition.

Since then, Meeus has continued to develop into a rider capable of winning both conventional bunch sprints and harder one day races.

His 2025 season included victory at the Copenhagen Sprint, Binche Chimay Binche, a stage of the Tour de Suisse and a stage of the Volta ao Algarve.

This season, Meeus won the Ename Samyn Classic in March before taking the final stage of the 4 Jours de Dunkerque, the opening stage of the Tour de Wallonie and the Brussels Cycling Classic.

Lidl-Trek CEO Andy Schleck pointed to Meeus’ positioning and composure in hectic finales as key reasons behind the signing.

“Jordi’s positioning and ability to remain composed in the chaos of a bunch sprint have helped him make a name for himself in the peloton,” Schleck said.

“We believe Jordi is going to be an important addition to our sprint group and Classics squad over the next two years.”

For Meeus, the transfer offers a new balance between chasing his own victories and using his experience to strengthen Lidl-Trek’s sprint setup.

“I’m not the youngest anymore, but I think I still have some improvements to make,” he said. “I think this team is definitely the right environment.”

Meeus becomes the latest addition to a busy Lidl-Trek transfer window for 2027. Felix Gall, Gregor Mühlberger, Igor Arrieta, Georg Zimmermann, Jordan Jegat and Héctor Álvarez have also been confirmed as new arrivals, while Tim Torn Teutenberg will join Soudal Quick-Step and Andrea Bagioli will move to XDS Astana. Bauke Mollema will retire at the end of the season.

Further changes could still follow, with Tao Geoghegan Hart expected to depart and Giulio Ciccone attracting interest from Pinarello-Q36.5 and Tudor despite being under contract with Lidl-Trek until the end of 2029.