With victories in the points and team classifications, here are our reflections on a special edition of the Tour de France
The final curtain has come down on the 2026 Tour de France. From the moment the flag dropped in a blisteringly hot Barcelona to signify the Grand Départ, this has been a brutal but brilliant edition of the greatest bike race in the world.
3321 kilometers raced, 54500 meters of elevation gained, eight mountain stages, five summit finishes and countless water bottles consumed. We have been through the Pyrenees, Vosges, Jura and Alps, covering fabled, iconic mountains such the Tourmalet, Galibier, Grand Ballon and, of course, Alpe d’Huez. Like always, it comes to a magical end with the spectacular finale in Paris, the City of Lights.
Lidl-Trek arrived at this year’s edition of La Grande Boucle with big ambitions, and finishes the race having delivered one of the team’s most complete Grand Tour performances in recent memory. From huge rides in the mountains by our general classification riders, to spectacular displays of teamwork in the breakaway from our puncheurs, it has been a remarkable show of collective strength from a squad who have left their mark on this race.
Lead DS Steven de Jongh had this to say:
Before the race, if someone offered me the team classification, the green jersey, and a stage win, I would 100% sign up for it. It was super nice to see how the team road, especially in the last week as a collective. The performance by Mads was amazing. He was so determined to get the green and I think we saw something historical. Winning the team classification and having Luca on the podium with us, it was the best gift we could give him on this special day.
Mads Pedersen’s victory in the points classification was the reward for three weeks of relentless consistency. His hard-fought win on stage four marked the start of a determined journey from the entire team to protect the green jersey throughout the race. Whether it was getting in the early break on punishing mountain stages to collect valuable intermediate sprint points, or contesting bunch sprints, Pedersen embodied the versatility and resilience required to win green – a prize he has been chasing to complete the trilogy of points jerseys in every Grand Tour. It is a fitting reward for a man who has given every ounce of energy to this goal throughout the past 21 stages.
Alongside Pedersen, our climbers, Mattias Skjelmose and Juan Ayuso also showed grit and determination in the mountains, fighting hard in a competitive GC field. Both riders finished inside the top-10 overall after some breakthrough performances in the time trials and on summit finishes. Above all, valuable experience was gained for Ayuso and Skjelmose who will undoubtedly only be more motivated to come back next year for more.
Reflecting on his performance, Ayuso said:
The truth is, when you give it your all, you can't ask for much more. It's been a tough Tour for me, but giving up is never an option. I always tried to give my best, even when things aren't going my way.
I'm leaving quite proud, because even though things didn't go as I'd hoped, I always tried to bring out the best in myself. From the first week with the Tourmalet, it was tough, and with each stage I got through, I felt quite proud, because I was trying my best to get through it.
I feel more frustration at not having arrived here in the way I would have liked, but nothing exceptional about it. I've always given my best and I'm proud of that.
Yesterday I was suffering all day, but I tried mentally to hold on and tried again to bring out the best version of myself I could.
I fought every day, whether I was feeling unwell or extremely fatigued.I believe that mental preparation will also make me stronger so that when I finally have the legs I want for a race like this, everything will come together and we can aim for great things.
Of course, the achievements of these riders would not be possible without the team supporting them. Quinn Simmons, Mathias Vacek, Derek Gee-West, Carlos Verona and Toms Skujiņš all played integral roles in both the mountains and in breakaways to achieve collective goals. This squad adapted to every terrain, constantly racing aggressively with bold, brave strategies and complete trust in their leaders. Lidl-Trek’s win in the overall Team Classification at the end of the Tour reflects this collective brilliance.
Carlos Verona said after the race:
It's so special and I think it's something that we deserve. We were always fighting for the sprints, in the mountains, intermediate points, and for the GC so I think it's a really nice reward. To do it with this team and these people, it's something that most of us will never forget because it's not so often you can go to the final podium in Paris. All the riders and staff did a maximum effort and had big ambitions. Everybody has personal goals but we were all able to manage everything - to have the team's goals above everything and I think this is the key. Everyone committed to their role 100% and that's why we're on the podium.
The Tour de France this year has been pure entertainment, and Lidl-Trek are proud to have been part of that. Every opportunity for stage wins, general classification gains and green jersey points has been grabbed with intent, and that will celebrated proudly in Paris tonight. We can also look towards the future with hope and excitement, having made a statement of intent at this year’s Tour – there’s plenty more to come.
