'He's surpassed even our high expectations' – Sprinter Jonathan Milan extends contract with Lidl-Trek until 2029

Tour de France sprint and green jersey winner Jonathan Milan has extended his contract with Lidl-Trek until 2029.

Milan joined Lidl-Trek from Bahrain Victorious in 2024 and has become one of the best sprinters in the world, taking 19 wins since joining Lidl-Trek.

The 24-year-old Italian has thrived in Grand Tour racing, most recently on his Tour de France debut, where he won two stages and the coveted green points jersey. He won two ciclamino points jerseys in a row at the Giro d'Italia, alongside four stages at his home Grand Tour – three with Lidl-Trek and one with Bahrain.

"Before we signed Jonny in 2024, we already knew he was a huge talent for the future, but in the two years since he has surpassed even our high expectations," said Lidl-Trek General Manager Luca Guercilena in the announcement.

"What he has achieved in just two seasons is remarkable, and with four more years to come, we are excited to see just how high he can climb."

Milan has quickly become one of Lidl-Trek's leaders alongside Mads Pedersen and has a loyal lead-out train purpose-built to support him throughout the season. Milan is grateful and motivated for the future.

"The atmosphere at Lidl-Trek is truly special, the people here have quickly become like a second family to me, and that makes a huge difference when you’re giving everything on the bike," said Milan.

"We have already shared some incredible moments and I am really proud of what we have achieved together so far: multiple Grand Tour stage victories, leader’s jerseys, and always fighting together as one Team."

Milan and 23-year-old Mathias Vacek are considered the future of Lidl-Trek, along with a host of even younger riders under development. Milan and Vacek are until contract until 2029, alongside Mads Pedersen, who signed a 'lifetime' deal to stay on the American team earlier this season.

Along with Mattias Skjelmose and Giulio Ciccone, Lidl-Trek are covered in most areas of the calendar – which explains how they sit second in wins this season behind only the dominant force of UAE Team Emirates-XRG and third in the UCI team rankings.

They lack a real GC challenger to compete for the overall in Grand Tours, though recent reports coming out of Italy via Ciro Scognamiglio, suggest that they are in the running to sign Juan Ayuso.

Currently under contract with UAE Team Emirates-XRG until 2028, Ayuso is the latest rider who has been rumoured as a potential early-leaver from their contract, following on from the likes of Primož Roglič and Remco Evenepoel.

La Gazzetta dello Sport reported on Thursday that while previous options such as Ineos Grenadiers and Movistar are not currently on the table, the option of Lidl-Trek is the one to look at, with Ayuso fitting their profile and filling their only real gap of a true GC leader.

With Ayuso currently about to start the Vuelta a España as co-leader with João Almeida, this is only a potential move that would still take weeks to resolve. But with Lidl-Trek's budget increasing thanks to greater involvement from the supermarket chain, now as majority stake owners, they would be one of few teams able to lure Ayuso away from his long-term UAE contract.