Proud Lidl-Trek boss back to work full-time after 3 tough years: "U23 team immediately best in the world"
CyclingThursday, 31 October 2024 at 12:23
Excellent news from Lidl-Trek: team boss Luca Guercilena has won the battle with lymphoma after three years. The Italian
shared in a retrospective on the 2024 season that he is back working full-time for his cycling team.
"Fortunately, I'm still here," said Guercilena, who was diagnosed with the disease in 2021. "Of course, my health situation has had a great impact, but it has always been my dream to return. My first goal was to return to racing to see the riders in the new Lidl-Trek jersey. That happened finally this year, in Milan-Sanremo."
"After that, I set myself the goal of returning full-time, which I managed to do now. So now it is time to step to being a top team and winning many races," the CEO speaks with determination. "We had a good season, but the Tour de France failed due to our leader's crash, Mads Pedersen. Ultimately, we had to go for plan C, which made it a challenging task."
Read more below the photo!
Guercilena proud of U23 team: "Immediately the best team in first year"
"Furthermore, we have been very competitive, from the classics to the Giro with Milan and the autumn. So all in all, we can call it a good season, except for July,' said Guercilena, who was also proud of the formation's other sections. 'Our women's team had a perfect season. It was very successful even though we have eight riders who are under 25."
"The most successful team is the U23 section," he commented after the first year of the Lidl-Trek Development Team. "We have just started with that, but we are already the best team in our first year. We have invested a lot in locating talent, which has paid off immediately."
He concludes that in 2025, Guercilena hopes to continue the good line with his team. "We have to be solid in the next season and take another step in terms of progression; that's the goal."
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Latest Comments
- Van Aert is really handsome. He can influence me all day! Ditto for Philipsen. Why do you think many of us love cycling?: to see heroic attempts at climbing mountains at high altitudes or to watch speedsters sprint for the finish line or to watch a human being ride at break neck speed down a tricky descent? No, it's all about their lean physiques and muscular legs. (apologies for objectifying these dedicated and amazing athletes).BarwonHeadsUp25-10-2024
- It is unfortunate that the author can't feel the joy that Pogacar brings to the sport and his fans who are legion and I for one feel lucky to have watched such a memorable performance and historic season From the Strada until yesterday with multiple wins in stages in both tours and beyond dominance in the World's. He is proud to wear the Rainbow stripes, shows his leadership to protect his fellows and is as courteous and sportsman-like as the sport allows. He goes early to not have to respond to each attack as all the rest would make him do it. Any racer who could would do the same. Don't "grow tired" of greatness as it is always fleeting.ccrider13-10-2024
- What load of rubbish. Pog is likely a once in a generation cyclist, the like of which hasn't been seen since 'the Cannibal '. How many people were complaining that Merckx was making racing predictable? I remember this year's World RR as one of the most exciting I've watched. Mainly BECAUSE Pog was the favourite and launched what everyone thought (Pog included) was a suicidal attack with 80km to go. For the next 2 hours, I was on the edge of my seat thinking "this is too much, even for Pog". Maybe Zonnefeld prefers the snooze-fest that is a bunch sprint? Like most people I know, I can't watch two hours of the bunch riding very fast... I wait for the final 5km and watch just the sprint. In any event, most races are won from a sprint or lone break. What difference does it make who makes the lone break? Ultimately, the other contenders will have to figure out a way to beat Pog. Even if that means collaboration between teams. It's going to be an exciting few seasons, until the next Pog arrives on the scene. If this is boring, heaven knows what exciting looks like!Michael513-10-2024
- This is not a gravel race. UCI fail, from the surface they are on to team tactics. In what country was the first "gravel race" in what country is the most popular gravel race? Go with the race model that created the discipline.
Barnes127411-10-2024 - And don't forget he has now won 4 of the big 10 races (Grand tours, Monuments and WC/OG) in one year with a chance to make that 5. (5 has only been done once before)Joostmehrtens05-10-2024