In Skjelmose and Pedersen, Lidl-Trek is sending serious points and general classification contenders to the Vuelta a España

Lidl-Trek has announced its roster for the Vuelta a España. The German cycling team has named its two expected team leaders and, through official channels, has provided further details on what is expected of the other six riders in the third Grand Tour of the year.

Immediately after the Tour de France, it was confirmed that Lidl-Trek would head to the Vuelta with the same team leaders. Juan Ayuso won’t be there, but Mattias Skjelmose and Mads Pedersen will be competing again. Skjelmose finished sixth in the Tour, one spot ahead of Ayuso.

The 24-year-old Dane thus confirmed his status as a rising general classification contender, having already finished fifth in the 2024 Vuelta a España, where he also won the white youth jersey. Skjelmose is once again aiming for a strong overall finish in Spain, thanks to his climbing and time-trial skills.

"Skjelly is our general classification leader," confirms team director Maxime Monfort. "It’s his second Grand Tour this year, but he’s feeling really great and is going for the general classification. We can dream big, but of course we don’t know how he’ll hold up in the third week. For now, everything’s going well."

Pedersen is the other team leader. After winning the green points jersey in the Tour de France, the Dane will be aiming for more sprint victories in the Vuelta. The 30-year-old Dane won the points classification in the Vuelta in 2022 and 2025—his only two appearances in the race.

Monfort confirms that, in principle, Pedersen won't be riding for three weeks just to earn points. "He won't be focusing specifically on the green jersey and wants to help the team win stages. It's great to have him in this form."

Pedersen will have every opportunity to shine in the Vuelta a España, with punchy finishes, challenging transition stages, and other stages that should suit him well. However, in Wout van Aert (Visma | Lease a Bike), he’ll face a rival who will be aiming for exactly the same opportunities.

Skjelmose and Pedersen will be supported by six strong riders in the Vuelta. Thibau Nys is a key name among them, as the Belgian’s participation had long been in doubt. “He didn’t have a perfect preparation because he was sick.”

"We believe he'll do well and are glad to have him on the team," said Monfort, who could be a "game-changer" in the hunt for stage victories and in supporting Skjelmose. Julien Bernard, Patrick Konrad, and Lennard Kämna are also excellent climbers. Jacopo Mosca and Mathias Norsgaard are the team’s driving forces.