A new chapter begins: Lidl-Trek announces leadership transition following the 2026 Tour de France

Lidl-Trek announces that General Manager Luca Guercilena will hand over leadership of the team following the conclusion of the 2026 Tour de France, marking the completion of an extraordinary 16-year chapter at the helm of the organization and the beginning of a new professional journey. Since the team’s very first training camp in 2010, Luca has been one of the defining figures behind Lidl-Trek’s identity, culture and growth. Through his vision, passion and unwavering dedication, he helped transform the organization from an ambitious project into one of the most respected teams in professional cycling, leaving behind a legacy that will continue to shape the team for years to come.

“Having already worked with Luca in 2011 as a rider under his direction at Leopard Trek, I have experienced firsthand his incredible dedication for this team since day one,” said Thomas Rohregger, Head of Cycling at Lidl. “We are deeply grateful for the culture Luca has built and the standard of excellence he has set. It has been a privilege to share this journey with him, and we are honored to carry the passion he brought to this project into the Team’s next chapter. The road Luca paved will continue to guide Lidl-Trek for generations to come. He will be closely linked to our team forever.”

Roger Gierhart, Vice-President at Trek Bicycles, representing the team’s sole ownership between 2016 and 2025 added: “No one has done more for Trek road racing than Luca. Under his leadership, the men’s and women’s squads were defined by their professionalism, integrity and camaraderie, and it showed up on race days in so many breathtaking wins, often thanks to incredible teamwork. The vision he set forth will help steer Lidl-Trek for years to come. There’s no denying his legacy. We are so grateful for everything he has given Trek, and we wish him all success in the next step of his journey.”

Guercilena joined the team at its inception as a Sports Director for the 2011 Leopard Trek season. His tactical expertise and background in sports science were instrumental in the Team’s early successes headlined by Fabian Cancellara, laying the foundation for his promotion to General Manager in 2013. Under his 13-year guidance, the Team successfully navigated several structural evolutions – from RadioShack-Leopard to Trek Factory Racing, Trek-Segafredo, and finally Lidl-Trek. Riders and staff value Luca for his accessible and human-centered management style, and his track record reflects a standard of consistent excellence. Under his guidance, the team solidified its place among the top WorldTour contenders, celebrating over 350 professional wins, including multiple Monument and World Championship titles, as well as a history of stage wins and classification jerseys at all three Grand Tours. 

“The desire for new challenges has always been the driving force of my professional life,” said Luca Guercilena. “After 16 unforgettable years, I feel the time is right to hand over leadership and allow the team to enter its next phase with fresh impulses and drive that will spark new hunger to keep pushing the limits. I turn the page knowing that I leave behind a strong organization made up of great professionals, a group of athletes capable of winning now and in the future, and a strong and determined ownership committed to taking cycling to another level. The team has given me incredible emotions thanks to athletes, staff, sponsors, and owners from whom I have always received great support, especially in difficult moments. Lidl-Trek will forever be the team closest to my heart.”

Guercilena will remain fully active in his role through the 2026 Tour de France, ensuring a smooth handover as the Team continues its pursuit of the top spot in cycling.

Following this transition, Lidl-Trek will introduce a newly structured leadership organization effective August 1st, 2026, designed to support the continued ambitions, growth and professional development of the organization, spanning the men’s, women’s, development and junior programs. To respond to the evolving demands of professional cycling at the highest level, Lidl-Trek is proud to introduce the following additions to its leadership structure.

Andy Schleck will officially step into the newly created role of CEO as of August 1st. Schleck’s history with the team runs deep, having spent the defining years of his racing career within this very structure, and famously spearheading the organization’s early days under Leopard Trek with his 2010 Tour de France victory. Following his retirement from the peloton, he remained a prominent figure in cycling and returned to Lidl-Trek in 2025 as Deputy General Manager. His step up to CEO is a natural evolution to preserve the core values of the organization while setting new standards for the future.

“Having worked with Luca since my time as a rider at Leopard Trek, I experienced the passion, commitment and ambition he brought to this organization every single day. I’m incredibly grateful for the trust placed in me to lead this team of extraordinary people into its next chapter and continue building on the strong culture and winning mentality he established,” said Andy Schleck.

To lead the newly integrated sports department, Lidl-Trek is proud to welcome Grischa Niermann as the team’s new Chief Sporting Officer as of September 1st.

Coming from Team Visma | Lease a Bike, where he played a pivotal role in engineering historic Grand Tour sweeps, Niermann will assume full responsibility over Lidl-Trek’s sporting domain, combining the areas of Racing, Performance, Operations and Technical/Equipment under his singular guidance. 

“After having spent my whole life at the organization today known as Team Visma | Lease a Bike, I felt the time was right for a new challenge. Joining Lidl-Trek represents a special opportunity for me personally, as it allows me to shape one of the most ambitious projects in professional cycling, strongly connected to my home country,” said Grischa Niermann.

Working directly under Niermann’s guidance, Dan Lorang will join the team as the new Head of Performance as of August 1st, overseeing the areas of Coaching, Nutrition, Health, Recovery and Athletics, as well as Data & AI. Lorang joins after a highly successful tenure as Head of Performance at Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe and as a world-renowned mastermind behind multiple Ironman champions. 

Besides his role at Lidl-Trek, he will also lead the new multi-sports “Crivit Performance Center” for the companies of Schwarz Group.

Dan Lorang: “This project has all the ingredients required for long-term success — talented athletes, ambitious leadership and an outstanding group of people working behind the scenes. I’m excited to contribute my experience and help further develop a high-performance environment that supports growth across all areas of the organization.”

To further elevate the team’s competitive edge and support the development of the new “Crivit Performance Center,” Lidl-Trek and the companies of Schwarz Group have jointly secured top-tier expertise to lead key specialized departments across both projects.

• Nutrition: Martijn Redegeld will join the organization as the new Head of Nutrition, arriving from football powerhouse Ajax Amsterdam and bringing an invaluable track record from his previous five-year tenure at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, where his nutrition strategies powered multiple Tour de France victories.

• Mental Performance: York-Peter Klöppel will take over responsibility for the Mental department, joining from the Red Bull athlete performance network where he consistently shaped elite mindsets to succeed in high-pressure environments.

With this new leadership structure Lidl-Trek is excited to enter a new chapter focused on innovation, excellence and sustained success at the highest level of professional cycling. Building on the exceptional foundation established over the past 16 years, the team looks ahead with great confidence and enthusiasm for what lies ahead.