The partnership will harness the expertise of the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to deliver personalized, performance-driven hydration strategies for its riders.
Lidl-Trek has entered a multi-year partnership with Gatorade and the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI), bringing world-class hydration innovation to one of the peloton’s most ambitious teams. Through the collaboration, Lidl-Trek athletes will receive personalized hydration strategies grounded in GSSI’s industry-leading sweat analysis and performance-testing technologies, ensuring riders are primed for peak performance across the sport’s most demanding races. Notably, this marks Gatorade’s return to professional cycling for the first time since 2013.
As part of the partnership, Gatorade branding will feature prominently across the Lidl-Trek race kit, including jerseys, socks, and the team’s iconic Gatorade water bottles — long considered one of the most coveted roadside souvenirs in pro-cycling.
With more than 60 years in the market, Gatorade has grown into a global icon. From professional sports locker rooms to high school gyms and science labs to Formula 1 tracks, the drink has been fueling the greatest athletes in the world for generations. Through this collaboration, Lidl-Trek is perfecting race-day hydration to the finest detail. In modern cycling, even a marginal gain can mean the difference between victory and second place. Minor dehydration can compromise power, precision, and decision-making in critical race moments. Through the partnership, Lidl-Trek aims to unlock measurable performance advantages with precisely tailored hydration strategies.
“Hydration isn’t about drinking more — it’s about drinking smarter,” said Josu Larrazabal, Head of Performance at Lidl-Trek. “Working with Gatorade and the GSSI allows us to conduct individual sweat testing and build personalized hydration programs based on each rider’s physiology, workload, and environmental conditions. It’s a detail that may seem small, but it’s one that can deliver a real competitive edge and enable our riders to perform at their absolute best.”
Natalia Filippociants, GM PepsiCo Beverages Europe, responded: “Gatorade has powered some of the world’s best athletes for years and we are proud to bring that same science and support to professional cycling. At the heart of it, our mission stays simple – to help every athlete do a little better, whether you are in the pro peloton or out on your local ride. With GSSI’s sweat testing, every Lidl-Trek rider gets a hydration plan made exactly for them. It’s clear, precise, personal, and backed by real science. Gatorade gives athletes the carbohydrates for energy and the fluids and electrolytes they lose while sweating. That’s how we help unlock that extra one percent with smart, science-led hydration that supports performance.”
