Former Tour de France Femmes winner brings experience, ambition and proven leadership to Lidl-Trek
Few riders in the women’s peloton have built a career quite like Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney. A constant presence at the front of the biggest races for more than a decade, she has established herself as one of the most respected and recognisable riders of her generation, combining an attacking racing style with an ability to deliver when the stakes are highest. Lidl-Trek is delighted to announce the signing of the Polish superstar, who is set to join the team from the 2027 season on a contract through the end of 2028.
The 32-year-old’s defining moment came in 2024, when she claimed overall victory at the Tour de France Femmes. After years of coming close, Niewiadoma-Phinney produced one of the most memorable performances in the history of the race, defending the yellow jersey on the final ascent of Alpe d’Huez to win the general classification by just four seconds.
That victory was the result of a career built on persistence. From her early breakthrough on the international scene, Niewiadoma-Phinney has consistently been a contender in the sport’s toughest one-day races and stage races, with victories at La Flèche Wallonne and the Amstel Gold Race among her major successes. Her ability to attack on demanding climbs has made her one of the peloton’s most distinctive riders.
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This year, she has continued to demonstrate her versatility and consistency at the highest level. Her iconic stage win on Mont Ventoux in August was a defining moment in women’s cycling, and led Niewiadoma-Phinney to a hard-fought second place overall at this year’s edition of the Tour. She has now finished on the podium in every edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift since the race’s inception in 2022.
Now, she will bring that wealth of experience to Lidl-Trek, joining a team with ambitions to compete for victories across the Classics and Grand Tours while helping to build the next generation of leaders around her.
I am super excited about the next two years. I have spent many years on the same team and the decision to move forward and change the environment wasn't easy until I talked to Lidl-Trek. Instantly, I felt the team had a plan, trust and belief in me. I knew that when we joined forces we could aim for the highest dreams.
I’m looking forward to working with people and professionals who have a fresh look at my abilities and at what we can achieve together, being guided from a different perspective and just new fresh air. I’m looking forward to learning from the team, what we can improve, how we can get faster and how we can raise our hands more often when crossing the finish line.
I’m also stoked to be reunited with Riejanne Markus after ten years since we were teammates on WM3! But the whole squad is filled with many young talented and experienced riders.
For Lidl-Trek, Niewiadoma-Phinney represents much more than another addition to an already strong roster. Her experience of winning the biggest races, her ability to lead from the front and her relentless racing style will add a new dimension to the team’s ambitions.
“Bringing Kasia into Lidl-Trek is a significant moment for our women’s program,” Women’s Team Manager Frank Schleck said.
“She is one of the most accomplished and respected riders of her generation, but what excites us most is the way she races. Kasia is courageous. She is aggressive. She is willing to take responsibility and make a race rather than simply wait for it to happen.
“That mentality fits perfectly with the identity we want for this team. Her arrival gives us another major leader for the biggest races on the calendar, but her impact will go far beyond results. Her experience, professionalism and competitive mentality can help raise the level of the entire group. At this point in her career, the objective isn’t simply to add more race days or results. We want to understand what Kasia still wants to achieve and create the environment around her to go after those ambitions together.”
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Niewiadoma-Phinney will also bring a wealth of knowledge to a group of riders who have already demonstrated their potential at the highest level. Her arrival creates opportunities not only for her own ambitions but also for the team to develop a powerful collective around some of the most important races on the calendar. For Niewiadoma-Phinney, the move marks the beginning of a new chapter — one she enters with the same hunger that has defined her career.
“I’ve got so many goals I want to work hard to achieve in the next few years and I’m sure I will be able to make it happen with the team. While I don’t really know them yet, I feel full trust in Lidl-Trek. That’s what makes me so excited! I feel I made a really good decision to sign with Lidl-Trek.”
With a contract through 2028, Lidl-Trek and Niewiadoma-Phinney now look ahead to two seasons together, with the clear objective of turning the experience, ambition and winning mentality of one of the sport’s biggest stars into further success at the very top of women’s cycling.
