A few days after winning silver at the World Cycling Championships, Kasia Niewiadoma makes a major transfer

For years, Niewiadoma has been considered one of the best and most consistent cyclists in the professional peloton. She turned pro in 2014 with Rabobank-Liv, which became WM3 Energie in 2017. After four years with the Dutch team—where her teammates included Marianne Vos, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, Anna van der Breggen, and Riejanne Markus—she joined Canyon//SRAM.

While riding for the American team, she won the Amstel Gold Race in 2019, among other races, but her biggest victory came in 2024. She narrowly edged out Demi Vollering in the Tour de France Femmes. Along with the Dutch rider, Niewiadoma is the only cyclist to have finished on the podium in every edition of the Tour: this year, she won at the summit of Mont Ventoux, but had to concede defeat to Vollering. At Lidl-Trek, she hopes to take another step forward.

"I'm really looking forward to the next two years," she says on her new team's website. "I worked with the same team for many years, and the decision to move on and change environments wasn’t easy—until I started talking with Lidl-Trek. I immediately sensed that the team had a plan, trusted me, and believed they would support me. I knew that by joining forces, we could achieve the highest goals.”

"I look forward to working with people and professionals who view my abilities and what we can achieve together from a new perspective, and to working with a fresh outlook. I look forward to learning from the team, discovering what we can improve, how we can get faster, and how we can raise our hands more often as we cross the finish line.”

Signing with Lidl-Trek also means a reunion with old friends for Niewiadoma. “I’m also incredibly happy to be working with Riejanne Markus again after ten years—ever since we were teammates at WM3! But the entire team is made up of many young, talented, and experienced riders.” Loes Adegeest and Lucinda Brand will also be riding for the German team next year.

Lidl-Trek now has a true top contender for the general classification. “Kasia’s arrival at Lidl-Trek is a significant moment for our women’s program,” says CEO Andy Schleck. “She is one of the most talented and respected riders of her generation, but what excites us most is the way she races. Kasia is bold. She’s aggressive. She’s willing to take responsibility and shape the race rather than simply waiting to see what happens.”

"That mindset fits perfectly with the identity we want to create for this team. Her arrival gives us another key leader for the biggest games on the schedule, but her impact will extend far beyond just the results. Her experience, professionalism, and competitive spirit can raise the level of the entire team."