Lidl-Trek's Milano Sanremo Round Up

Monument season has sprung! Here's everything you might have missed from Milano Sanremo.

The Ligurian coastline delivered two exciting races as Lidl-Trek took on the first Monument of the 2026 season with both the men’s and women’s pelotons converging on Sanremo for La Classicissima — a race that, true to its reputation, kept everyone guessing until the very final metres.

In the men’s race, Mads Pedersen delivered a strong return to racing, finishing fourth overall – an impressive result given it was his first race back following his crash at Volta Comunitat Valenciana. The team played an active role throughout, with the Lidl-Trek train working hard on the lower slopes of the Poggio in support of Pedersen, helping to drive down the gap to the leading trio. In a race defined by crash chaos and relentless attacking, the Danish puncheur’s top-five finish was a testament to both his resilience and the squad’s cohesion under pressure.

In the women’s race, Elisa Balsamo represented Lidl-Trek with a solid eighth-place finish, staying connected to the front group that contested the sprint finale on the Via Roma. It was a challenging afternoon with a heavy crash on the descent of the Cipressa disrupting the rhythm of the race at its most decisive moment but Balsamo’s composure in difficult conditions reflected the experience and fighting spirit that defines this team.

Mads Reflects on his Comeback and the Team’s Support!

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Elisa’s Race Reaction

I think, as a team, we did a really really good race. We were so close on the top of Poggio and then there was also this crash in the downhill. I'm just disappointed but I was feeling good and there are some good races to come. My teammates tried to close but, in the front, they were really strong and so we couldn't close the gap but then it's like this. That's cycling sometimes.

Men’s Race Gallery

Women’s Race Gallery

GENOVA, ITALY - MARCH 21: Elisa Balsamo of Italy and Team Lidl - Trek prior to the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Genova, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

GENOVA, ITALY - MARCH 21: A general view of Elisa Balsamo of Italy, Lucinda Brand of Netherlands, Niamh Fisher-Black of New Zealand, Riejanne Markus of Netherlands, Ricarda Bauernfeind of Germany, Margot Vanpachtenbeke of Belgium and Team Lidl - Trek prior to the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Genova, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

GENOVA, ITALY - MARCH 21: Legs detailed view of Elisa Balsamo of Italy, Lucinda Brand of Netherlands, Niamh Fisher-Black of New Zealand, Riejanne Markus of Netherlands, Ricarda Bauernfeind of Germany, Margot Vanpachtenbeke of Belgium and Team Lidl - Trek prior to the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Genova, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

GENOVA, ITALY - MARCH 21: (L-R) Lucinda Brand of Netherlands and Margot Vanpachtenbeke of Belgium and Team Lidl - Trek prior to the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Genova, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: (L-R) Marta Lach of Poland and Team SD Worx - Protime, Agnieszka Skalniak-Sojka of Poland and Team CANYON//SRAM zondacrypto and Margot Vanpachtenbeke of Belgium and Team Lidl - Trek compete during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: Ricarda Bauernfeind of Germany and Team Lidl - Trek competes during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: Stina Kagevi of Sweden and Team EF Education-Oatly and Ricarda Bauernfeind of Germany and Team Lidl - Trek compete during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: Niamh Fisher-Black of New Zealand and Team Lidl - Trek competes during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: (L-R) Brodie Chapman of Australia and UAE Team ADQ, Elisa Balsamo of Italy and Team Lidl - Trek compete during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: (L-R) Lucinda Brand of Netherlands and Team Lidl - Trek, Alice Towers of Great Britain and Team EF Education-Oatly and Puck Pieterse of Netherlands and Team Fenix-Premier Tech compete during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: Riejanne Markus of Netherlands and Team Lidl - Trek cross the finish line during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: (L-R) Thalita de Jong of Netherlands and Team Human Powered Health and Ricarda Bauernfeind of Germany and Team Lidl - Trek compete during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: (L-R) Puck Pieterse of Netherlands and Team Fenix-Premier Tech, Lorena Wiebes of Netherlands and Team SD Worx - Protime, Ricarda Bauernfeind of Germany and Elisa Balsamo of Italy and Team Lidl - Trek compete during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)

SANREMO, ITALY - MARCH 21: (L-R) Elisa Balsamo of Italy and Team Lidl - Trek, Lorena Wiebes of Netherlands and Team SD Worx - Protime and Juliette Berthet of France and Team FDJ United - SUEZ compete during the 8th Milano-Sanremo Donne 2026, Women's Elite a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo / #UCIWWT / on March 21, 2026 in Sanremo, Italy. (Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)