'Not everybody will be happy with the decisions we'll have to take, but we welcome that' - Lidl-Trek management recognise potential pitfalls of their star-studded lineup for 2027

Lidl-Trek management have recognised it will not be straightforward to handle a lineup which is crammed with top names in 2027, but they argue that this is a 'luxury problem' that means they have ample options on the table.

Multiple World Time Trial Champion and Grand Tour stage winner Filippo Ganna (Netcompany Ineos) and top Austrian climber Felix Gall (Decathlon CGM CMN), runner-up in the Giro d'Italia and third in the Vuelta a España this season, are the highest-profile names added by Lidl-Trek to their already star-studded roster for 2027. But there are plenty more top racers who have joined the squad for next year.

These include Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies), twice tenth in the Tour de France, Champs Élysées winner Jordi Meeus (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and U23 European TT and Road Race Champion Héctor Alvarez.

In their lineup, Lidl-Trek already have riders of the calibre of Juan Ayuso, Derek Gee-West and Matthias Skjelmose for stage racing and hilly Classics, with Mads Pedersen and Jonathan Milan both options for one-day races and Grand Tour sprints and the green jersey.

The squad have lost former Tour de France leader and Grand Tour stage winner Giulio Ciccone to Pinarello-Q36.5, whilst 2020 Giro winner Tao Geoghegan Hart, signed amidst much expectation in 2024 but sidelined by major injuries and uneven performances, has left for EF Education-EasyPost. Globally, though, there's no doubt that Lidl-Trek have gained yet more firepower for 2027.

Faced with such a plethora of top talent, head of performance Josu Larrazabal told MARCA this weekend that it would not necessarily be straightforward handling so many options. However, it was a situation which reflected the underlying collective strength of the team, and in that sense, it was a good sign.

"It's a situation we've been working towards for many years, when we've been growing little by little, and we shouldn't back away now," he said.

"It's clear that when it comes to handling egos, you need direct and clear communication. We're going to have to take decisions that sometimes won't make everybody happy - but we welcome that."

When it came to Lidl-Trek's goals for 2027, Larrazabal did not beat around the bush, either.

"Victories, a Monument, a Grand Tour. Victories," he repeated.

As for Spain's newest up-and-coming talent, Héctor Álvarez, the U23 Euros champion rounded out his last season as an amateur with a victory in the U-23 Paris-Tours, and will be aiming for his first pro win with the senior Lidl-Trek team next year. As Larrazabal made clear, Álvarez, 19, will split his calendar between races where he has his own options and where he will be working for the newly reinforced squad.

"He's been showing what he can do over the last few years and [in 2026] he's had a really impressive end of season. He's heading into the WorldTour in the best way possible," Larrazabal told MARCA.

"A rider like Héctor is always going to have a great calendar where he can go on progressing. It'll be a mixture of races where he's simply learning and helping the riders with more experience, like Mads, like Pippo [Ganna], like Jonny [Milan], and other races in which he'll have a chance to race for himself."

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