Austrian Sport Director’s arrival strengthens Lidl-Trek directors department
Lidl-Trek is pleased to welcome Bernie Eisel to the Team, where he will take on the role of Sport Director. Eisel brings with him nearly two decades of experience as a professional rider, followed by four years in a directing role with Red Bull–Bora-Hansgrohe.
During his racing career, Eisel made his mark as one of the peloton’s most respected riders. In addition to helping Mark Cavendish to many sprint wins, Eisel’s own palmarès boasts numerous top results, including victory at Gent–Wevelgem. As his career evolved, Eisel became a trusted road captain, serving as the vital link between the team car and the riders, a role that laid the foundation for his transition to the team car himself as a Sport Director.
First, I want to understand how the team works and get to know the people I don’t already know, to build a strong group together — which is, I think, the key reason Lidl-Trek has been so successful.
“I was attracted to Lidl-Trek because of what the Team has achieved in the past few years and the progress it continues to make,” said Bernie Eisel. “It’s attracting a lot of young talent and has excellent sprint groups. From my time as a commentator, watching Milan sprinting or watching Mads Pedersen ‘doing a Mads Pedersen’ are some of the best things you can watch in modern cycling. These are the small details that really convinced me.
“I have a lot of friends already in the Team — people I’ve worked with before, and riders I know from my time as both a teammate and a DS. It was a no-brainer. The biggest reason was to join Lidl-Trek was to work again with Luca [Guercilena, General Manager]. He was my first professional coach when I joined Mapei in 2001, so we go back a long, long time.
“I’m a bit nervous, I have to admit, but also curious for this new chapter in my life. At the same time, I’m very motivated to continue this progress and be part of the Lidl-Trek family. Firstly, I want to understand how the team works and get to know the people I don’t already know, to build a strong group together — which is, I think, the key reason Lidl-Trek has been so successful. I hope I can contribute to that and help us keep moving up the ladder.”
