Lidl-Trek: Pedersen warns Philipsen after transformation, Ciccone might be major wildcard after first week

Whoever thought Visma | Lease a Bike had a chaotic preparation for the Tour de France should definitely take a look at Lidl-Trek’s timeline. The American team aimed to shine with leader Tao Geoghegan Hart but had to wait and sometimes intervene due to injuries and a significant wave of COVID-19 infections. This directly led to adjustments in ambitions, which remained high, as revealed during a media event (at a Lidl store). IDLProCycling.com was there to ask the questions that are on everyone's mind.

With Geoghegan Hart being out for the Tour, one of the team's main ambitions — competing strongly in the general classification — had to be shelved. The 2020 Giro winner had already faced major setbacks last year with a broken hip in the Giro d'Italia, and just when he seemed to have everything in order in 2024, he crashed into an electricity pole at the Critérium du Dauphiné. Geoghegan Hart, who also contracted COVID-19 afterward, broke a rib and had to abandon his main goal of the year.

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Ciccone and Pedersen recover well after COVID-19 infections

What now? Full attack mode, was the answer on Thursday morning. "We were ready for both plans, so we didn’t have to switch drastically. We know the stages and where the opportunities are, so we also know where our offensive goals are," explains team director Steven de Jongh. The Dutchman speaks calmly but also had to deal with COVID-19 infections in leaders Giulio Ciccone and Mads Pedersen, in addition to Alex Kirsch’s knee injury. "It’s not necessarily stressful, but very inconvenient. Some were very sick from COVID-19, others hardly at all. It’s difficult to gauge who will be ready."

"We made the decision that Ciccone would ride quite late. Missing three days of training puts you at a disadvantage," continues De Jongh. The Italian already missed the Giro d’Italia due to a saddle sore and recovered from COVID-19 just in time. "It’s not easy to change the plan, but I was lucky to have surgery for my saddle sore quickly, allowing us to adjust plans in January. I’ve known for months that I would do the Tour, and I think we’ve prepared perfectly. My COVID infection wasn’t severe. I was sick for a few days after the Dauphiné, where I was in good form, and started training again three days later. This might provide some extra freshness going into the Tour."

Pedersen also faced COVID-19, but according to the Dane, it barely caused a hitch. "I had COVID-19 too, but nowadays it affects one person way more than another. I wasn’t really sick but didn’t ride for a few days. I had to rest after the Dauphiné anyway, so it wasn’t an issue for me. I was lucky. It’s unfortunate to miss Alex. He’s crucial for controlling the breakaways, but we have Jasper Stuyven as a good stand-in. It’s an advantage to have more guys around me now without Tao. You can’t just call up a new general classification rider for the Tour."

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Lidl-Trek aims for stage wins (and jerseys) with Pedersen and Ciccone

With Geoghegan Hart out, Pedersen and Ciccone become the focus for Lidl-Trek over the next three weeks. Ciccone won the polka dot jersey in the Tour de France last year after missing the Giro. Is a similar scenario possible now? "It’s hard to say. I’d love to win it again, but the main goal is a stage win. From there, I can fight for the polka dot jersey, but we’ll see. I want to see how my form is in the first week and then decide what to do on the first rest day."

The same goes for the general classification. Ciccone was supposed to target the Giro for a strong overall finish, but a top ten in the Tour isn’t a priority now. "I don’t want to lose time in the first week but need to stay calm. Tao was our leader. It’s unfortunate for him to be sidelined after months of hard work. Now we’ll race more aggressively. I’ll approach the general classification without stress, taking it day by day. If you aim for stage wins, you have to ride upfront, and then the general classification will come into view."

Pedersen, on the other hand, is here to win. He succeeded in both the Giro and Tour in 2023 and is only at the start in France this time. "The Tour brings pressure and expectations. The team wants me to perform, and so do I. I’m used to it, always aiming to win," says the former world champion, who will focus on bunch sprints and hopes for the points classification. He won it in the 2022 Vuelta a España, but last year Jasper Philipsen was too strong in the Tour. "Jasper is the faster sprinter, but I climb well. I’ve found a good balance: I’m lighter but haven’t lost speed. I train more on climbs, combined with sprint training and motor-pacing."

Pedersen is still tough on himself: finishing outside the top five in a sprint is no longer acceptable. "Better climbing should help me be fresher for sprints, and I’ll try to score as many points as possible for the green jersey. But if you want to win that jersey, you have to win stages, as many as possible. That’s our goal, with the green jersey also a focus. I climb better. I see it in the numbers. But that doesn’t mean you score more points in the points classification. You have to be in every bunch sprint, and not finish eighth or tenth like last year. That’s not enough. You have to always sprint in the top three or top five to compete."

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Stage 1? Why not for Lidl-Trek!

The Tour de France could start on a high note for Lidl-Trek on Saturday. The first stage from Florence to Rimini will be tough but has a finish that should suit riders like Pedersen. "We’ll go for it, especially without a general classification rider. It would be strange not to try, but it will be on or over the limit," acknowledges Pedersen. "The stars have to align, but we won’t give up beforehand. However, there’s a difference between trying and actually winning."

"It’s a gamble. I’m not saying I can win. It also depends on the other teams. If UAE wants to win and goes all out from the base of the climb, I have no chance. We need to see what the situation is like at the top of the last climb, and whether we can recover. We can talk about it for hours, but we’ll see on Saturday." Ciccone agrees, aiming to be upfront with his team. "Mads is one of the best leaders. I’m very happy to have him as a teammate. He motivates everyone, always rides strong, and I want to help him with his goals, as he will help me get into breakaways. In the opening weekend, I want to fight upfront, and then we’ll see if Mads can sprint. I wouldn’t be surprised if he can. He was really good in the Dauphiné. We’ll support him, and then he has a good chance."

De Jongh listens, nodding along, as we present Pedersen and Ciccone's quotes about the first stage. "We have to wait and see. We don’t control what the competition will do, and we’re dependent on that. It will be a matter of survival, a very tough day with hot weather." Ideal for Ciccone, who clearly loves that the first three Tour days are taking place in his Italy. "The start in Italy is emotional for me. Every Tour start is fantastic, but even more so in Italy. I know the roads in Italy, but for a Tour stage, you always have to be motivated, so it’s no different now. I always want to fight, starting Saturday."