Will Lidl-Trek Women be among the best with Deignan and Van Dijk retired? Analysing the team's rider recruitment for 2026

The Lidl-Trek Women's team have been among the top teams in the women's peloton since the team's inception in 2019, anchored in part for those seven seasons by Ellen van Dijk and Lizzie Deignan. However, both riders will have retired in 2026, leaving the team to re-form an identity in their absence.

Knowing that their superstars were approaching retirement, Lidl-Trek went on a blitz of bringing on young riders in 2024, adding Canadians Ava and Isabella Holmgren, junior world time trial champion Felicity Wilson-Haffenden and Belgium's Fleur Moors, but are now facing a situation where these riders – perhaps with the exception of Isabella Holmgren – are yet to reach their full potential while the team are losing two of their founding members.

The team has retained a majority of the squad, with their number one rider, Elisa Balsamo, still at her best, having secured five victories in 2025, including the Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Scheldeprijs one-day races.

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However, the loss of Elisa Longo Borghini to UAE Team ADQ in 2024, along with Brodie Chapman and Elynor Backstedt, robbed the outfit of major firepower. As a result, Lidl-Trek went from being the world's number two team in 2024 to fourth behind FDJ-SUEZ, SD Worx-Protime and Longo Borghini's new team this year.

Longo Borghini's absence was somewhat offset by the arrival of four strong riders this year: Riejanne Markus and Anna Henderson from Visma-Lease a Bike, Niamh Fisher-Black from SD Worx, and Emma Norsgaard from Movistar.

Their recruits for the 2026 season don't quite match up to a Deignan or Van Dijk yet, but they've selected four riders with massive potential to fill the gap left by their departures.

Incoming riders

Lidl-Trek opted to bring on German Ricarda Bauernfeind from Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto. The winner of a Tour de France Femmes stage in 2023 - in her first year at the WorldTour level - Bauernfeind will fit right into Lidl-Trek's racing style.

Her solo escape into Albi to win that Tour stage was nothing short of heroic: she powered away with more than 35km still to race and only had a 30-second lead in the final 5km, but she held off a powerful chase. In the absence of a single GC superstar, given Gaia Realini's lowkey 2025, Bauernfeind should have ample opportunities on Lidl-Trek to put her aggression and tenacity to good use.

Bauernfeind said she chose Lidl-Trek because of their commitment to athlete development.

"That's something I value deeply, especially as I still feel I have untapped potential, particularly in my GC ambitions," she said.

"Lidl-Trek believes in my path, even after a challenging season with injury and fewer results. I'm incredibly motivated to learn from the best in the world — both riders and staff — and to give everything I have for this team. I'm confident we'll reach the next level together."

Dutch rider Loes Adegeest has similar qualities, although her qualities also include a strong sprint kick. Winner of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in 2023, Adegeest spent the 2025 season working for Demi Vollering in races like the Vuelta, Tour de Suisse and Volta a Catalunya and was rewarded in the latter race by getting a stellar lead-out from Vollering to win the final stage.

Adegeest is a brilliant support rider who will be key to Niamh Fisher-Black's growing GC potential but she will also have opportunities in the Classics, according to the team.

"In the races, it's a team that never goes unnoticed due to the attacking spirit," Adegeest said. "When I talked with the team, that image was confirmed.

"Personally, I was looking for a new challenge, a step out of the comfort zone FDJ-SUEZ had become. I hope to improve myself in the Classics, to colour the finals with the team. Also the TT is something I want to take another step forward."

Another developing talent comes to Lidl-Trek in 2026 in the form of Margot Vanpachtenbeke, who raced previously with the VolkerWessels team.

The 26-year-old started her career relatively late, just three years ago, and won the opening stage from a successful breakaway at the Thüringen Ladies Tour in 2024. She also won the Giro Toscana overall, but said she still has a lot to learn.

"To me, it's the perfect example of what a cycling team should be: a stable and professional environment, with a great atmosphere and a real sense of quality. I also love their attacking style of racing and the long-term vision they have for their riders," Vanpachtenbeke said.

"I know I still have a lot to learn and develop, and I truly believe that in a team surrounded by so much experience and knowledge, this is exactly the right place for me to grow and find my place."

A surprise signing, Irish rider Marine Lenehan is another late-starter in cycling with only three years of racing under her belt. The 27-year-old raced as a trainee with Lidl-Trek in August.

"I'm absolutely thrilled to be able to join as a full-time rider, and honestly, it still feels a bit surreal," Lenehan said. "It's a real pinch-me I'm dreaming moment. I still feel quite new to the sport, which makes this opportunity even more exciting. I only started cycling a few years ago and completely fell in love with the sport. The freedom, the community, and the constant drive to push my limits. To now be joining a team like Lidl–Trek full-time is something really special."

Staff and organisational changes

Lidl-Trek announced last month that the grocery magnate acquired a majority stake in the men's and women's teams, with Trek also maintaining a share in the organisation.

The deal comes along with a new team headquarters in Germany alongside Lidl's HQ in Bad Wimpfen and a new logistics center with a dedicated performance centre. The team also have a partnership with Schwarz Digits, a digital services company.

Funding stability is critical for recruiting and retaining top talent, and Lidl-Trek brought Fränk Schleck back into the fold as a new sport director for the women's team, working alongside Ina Teutenberg.

The verdict

Lidl-Trek have a solid organisational base and the women's team, although losing Deignan and Van Dijk to retirement, are keeping their core riders in Elisa Balsamo, Niamh Fisher-Black, Riejanne Markus, Anna Henderson, Amanda Spratt, Clara Copponi and the immensely talented Isabella Holmgren, while Shirin van Anrooij is on the mend after iliac artery surgery and had a solid road season.

Fisher-Black, with her silver medal at Worlds, and top tens in four one-day races early in the season, is not just living up to her potential; she appears to be on the cusp of exceeding all expectations.

They'll miss the diesel engine of Van Dijk and the smarts of Deignan, but they've made some smart signings in Adegeest, Bauernfeind and Vanpachtenbeke. Rather than rely on them to fill the shoes of their retiring stars, the team appear to be banking on the 'throw spaghetti against the wall and see what sticks' approach.

It might not be a million Euro signing of a massive superstar, but Lidl-Trek's recruitment only reinforces that they'll be attacking the heck out of every race they enter, which makes racing more fun to watch.