Lidl-Trek have been one of the best teams in 2025, particularly at the Classics and stage hunting at Grand Tours like their dominant Giro d'Italia earlier in the season. Like other rising squads such as Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and the soon-to-be-named Decathlon CMA CGM, Lidl-Trek have not been quiet about their ambitions to be the world's best team. So far on this mission a key element has been missing: a genuine overall contender at Grand Tours. This is what has kept UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Visma-Lease a Bike above the rest of the WorldTour. As we near the halfway mark of the 2020s, the two best teams in cycling have won 13 of the 18 Grand Tours this decade.
It will take a lot of catching for Lidl-Trek to level with UAE in particular, who this year recorded the greatest number of victories in a season in the history of the sport. However, the American squad will be hoping they have found their answer in the signing of a mercurial talent from the winningest team in history. Ayuso's move from UAE to the Lidl-Trek is one of the biggest signings of a busy transfer market for the 2026 season.
Having seen his younger teammate Isaac del Toro rise to stardom at the Giro in May, Tadej Pogačar dominate another Tour de France in July, and João Almeida further cement himself as general classification leader at September's Vuelta a España, Ayuso's place in the one of the best cycling teams ever was becoming increasingly squeezed. It was during the latter Grand Tour that his already choppy relationship with the squad hit the rocks and it all ended in an unharmonious and public split. So, is Juan Ayuso the missing piece for Lidl-Trek? Will the team be able to provide him the sole leadership he seeks? Will it be smooth sailing for both parties?
Read more: Opinion: The Juan Ayuso drama is proof we need a proper transfer system and limited contracts
Ayuso is clearly a talented rider. You can't come third at a Grand Tour at the age of 19 (at the Vuelta 2022) without being touted as the next big talent. In fact it was a result which matched Pogačar's first Grand Tour in 2019. Spain was dreaming it had its next Alberto Contador and UAE were patting themselves on the back for securing the signature of another Pogačar-esque star. However, things didn't turn out that way for both parties and after a few disappointing — and at times fractious — moments, both decided they had had enough. But based purely on talent, yes, Lidl-Trek will be closer to getting on a Grand Tour podium by signing Ayuso.
Does the team have what it takes to work in harmony with Ayuso? Upon signing with the team, the Spaniard said: “From the outside you can see the team has built a strong identity, with a lot of unity and ambition. The long-term project they’re putting together is something quite unique and special. It feels like a place where I can take the next step in my development, surrounded by riders and staff who share the same goals. I want to keep improving in the biggest races; the team has the ambition to become the best team in the world, so I’m really looking forward to contributing to that success."
Lidl-Trek have built much of their success on riding for each other and at times sacrificing their own chances for the betterment of the team as a whole. For example, Mads Pedersen and Giulio Ciccone working for each other to hunt stages at the Vuelta and Giro. By contrast this is not something UAE were known for, exemplified by a 2025 Vuelta, which from the outside, appeared tactically disjointed, even if it resulted in seven stage wins. How Ayuso adapts to his new environment — which is already proving to be working at Lidl-Trek — will be the biggest factor in whether the transfer is a success.
Read more: Opinion: Mads Pedersen is the rider of this season
With the likes of Pedersen, Ciccone, climber Mattias Skjelmose and one of the best sprinters in the world Jonathan Milan, Lidl-Trek already have to balance race calendars carefully to keep their riders happy. With Pedersen doing the Giro and Vuelta this year and Milan tasting his first success at the Tour, it's likely both will want to be at the Grand Boucle in 2026. Where does this leave Ayuso? He did the same double as Pedersen this year, and despite picking up three stages, it was hardly a happy experience for him. And that was with him seemingly being allowed to ride for his own results. It's a luxury he may not be afforded at Lidl-Trek with their stage hunting and sprint lead out ambitions.
However, in terms of a Grand Tour general classification team, it's hard to deny that Lidl-Trek would make an impressive squad. Riders like Pedersen, Ciccone, Skjelmose, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Julien Bernard and Carlos Verona would make an excellent cohort around Ayuso. Furthermore maybe a breath of fresh air and the chance to step outside of Pogačar's shadow, without needing to wrestle for leadership with Del Toro and Almeida, is all that's needed to unleash Ayuso. A new start can do wonders for a sportsperson's career.
Even if Ayuso can't contend for a Grand Tour, he is a proven winner and will only add to the team's firepower when it comes to stage hunting, hilly one-day races and time trials. Luca Guercilena certainly thinks so: “Juan is one of the brightest young talents in cycling. He is already one of the best climbers and time trialists in the world, which makes for a very exciting package. At only 23 years old, he still has room to grow, and we are committed to giving him all the support he needs to reach his full potential. Bringing Juan on board is an important step in our long-term vision, and we are excited to see what we can achieve together in the years ahead.”
Time will tell if the gamble will pay off for the squad.
