Lidl-Trek may ask Skjelmose to sacrifice Tour de France ambitions for Ayuso
CyclingSunday, 12 July 2026 at 09:19
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Follow us on GoogleThe Tour de France is being dominated by Tadej Pogačar, but when the strength of the teams is considered across the board, it is Lidl-Trek wearing the yellow helmets as leader of the team classification. The German squad, guided by sports director Steven de Jongh, impressed throughout the opening week. IDL Procycling spoke to the Dutchman about the team’s successful start and how its strategy could develop from here.
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When we caught up with De Jongh before Stage 8 of the Tour de France, the conversation quickly became a review of everything that had gone right. “We have a stage victory and the green jersey with Mads Pedersen, we are in a good position in the general classification with Juan Ayuso, and Mattias Skjelmose is not far behind him. We can be satisfied with this opening week.”
However, the perfectionist in De Jongh, who has led Lidl-Trek’s group of sports directors for several years, also highlighted one setback. “We lost Skjelmose because of a mechanical problem in the team time trial. That was unfortunate, and we were genuinely disappointed about it.” As Ayuso and Skjelmose kept pace with the other general classification contenders in the remaining stages—with the exception of Pogačar—they entered the weekend fifth and ninth overall respectively. Lidl-Trek therefore had two serious contenders positioned inside the top ten.
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Juan Ayuso
Skjelmose is riding a strong Tour de France but remains Ayuso’s backup
Skjelmose’s position so high in the standings may have surprised some observers, but it has not surprised De Jongh. “I’m not surprised by Skjelly. He had a very good preparation. He rode well in the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, and we had good training camps both before and after that race. Juan is our general classification leader, but it is valuable to have Skjelmose there as a backup.”
The hierarchy nevertheless remains clear, even though Skjelmose is only one minute and 23 seconds behind Ayuso in the general classification and delivered an impressive performance during Stage 6 over the Tourmalet. “When work has to be done, we will have to make choices, and Skjelmose will have to sacrifice himself,” De Jongh explained. “Juan still has a genuine chance of reaching the podium.” Lidl-Trek’s approach is therefore centred on Ayuso, despite Skjelmose’s strong position and the possibility that the Dane could remain close to the podium battle deep into the race.
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Mattias Skjelmose
Lidl-Trek watches Evenepoel in Ayuso’s Tour de France podium battle
The team’s confidence in Ayuso is entirely based on the schedule it prepared with the 23-year-old Spaniard. “Everything is focused on producing a strong final week, and that is what we are going for one hundred percent.” The individual time trial on Stage 16 should offer him an opportunity. “Juan finished second in the Algarve behind Filippo Ganna, so on a good day he can ride a very good time trial. Although I think the course is especially well suited to Evenepoel.”
De Jongh mentioned the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe rider several times, making it clear that Remco Evenepoel is viewed as a major threat to Ayuso in the battle for a place on the Tour de France podium. That assessment is not based solely on the Stage 16 time trial. Evenepoel also looked strong during Stage 6. “It worked in our favour that Remco was in our group,” De Jongh said. “That was a disadvantage for Vingegaard.” The Belgian did much of the work in the chasing group after the Tourmalet, helping to limit the time losses of the riders around him.
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Remco Evenepoel was the driving force behind the chase in Stage 6 over the Tourmalet.
Can Ayuso beat Vingegaard at the Tour de France?
At the time of writing, Vingegaard is less than a minute ahead of Ayuso in the general classification, but De Jongh appears to consider third place the highest realistic target for Lidl-Trek. The Visma | Lease a Bike leader looked stronger in the mountains than the other riders fighting for a podium position behind Pogačar. If only one podium place is effectively still available, Lidl-Trek’s close attention to Evenepoel makes perfect sense.
“The gaps are still very small, but one day can change everything,” De Jongh said. “The finale of Stage 6 was also a particular type of finish. It was more like an uphill valley than a proper climb. That suited Evenepoel, who did by far the most work in the group behind. Our riders were also riding at their limit.” The nature of the run-in therefore made it difficult to judge precisely how Ayuso, Skjelmose and Evenepoel compared on a more conventional mountain finish.
Questions about Vingegaard repeatedly prompted De Jongh to praise Evenepoel and his qualities, although Lidl-Trek also has a great deal of respect for the two-time Tour winner himself. “Had that sixth stage finished on a proper climb, the differences between Vingegaard and the group containing our riders would probably have been larger.” For now, Ayuso remains within striking distance, but Lidl-Trek knows that both Vingegaard’s climbing strength and Evenepoel’s versatility could shape its pursuit of the Tour de France podium.
Bram van der PloegEditor-in-chief
Bram van der Ploeg (35) is the proud founder of In de Leiderstrui, IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, launched in 2018. Finally, he could create stories about the sport he had followed since childhood. He is the editor-in-chief on paper, but prefers to be with his recorder next to a rider, a team bus, or in the mud at a cyclocross race. Every year, from February to the end of May, Bram follows the entire Italian cycling season, from the Trofeo Laigueglia to the Giro d'Italia, with the grand finale in October in Lombardy. During that time, he lives in Tuscany, where he has since come to call Italy his 'home'.
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Latest Comments
- No teammates on the Tourmalet. Too fast up the Tourmalet.
merganzer10-07-2026 - Reef is whistling past the graveyard by denying what was plain to see: Tadej crushed Jonas, beating him in the ascent and, even more decisively on the descent, where most of the gap was created. In the world of reality, rather than the fantsay that Reef related, Jonas will not become a better descender between now and Paris, and Tadej won't get less adept at the skill. Moreover, it wasn't only about the mano y mono, between the two Tour leaders, but the unraveling of Visma, and the dominance of UAE, especially IDT. Barring injury or some other anomalous occurrence, we'll look back at Tadej's win on stage six as the day he won the 2026 TDF.rjb10-07-2026
- Remco continues alternating between Dr. Jekyl and, as he did today post-race, Mr. Hyde, lashing out as others for not racing according to his preferences. This isn't the first time he's complained about opponents' tactics, but it's the first time I've heard him do it to a teammate, and that lack of discretion and team loyalty may come back to haunt him. I though he'd outgrown these childish pouts; obviously, I was mistaken.rjb10-07-2026
- - How many times has Pog actually worn yellow now? The article hints he’s lost count—anyone got the exact stat?robert6506-07-2026
- - Unreal start to the Tour: two punches in three days. If he’s taking yellow this early, the real game is load management before the first true summit finish.davidm06-07-2026
- - Grandissimo Tadej! Maillot jaune meritato, squadra perfetta oggi.sprocketspiny06-07-2026
- - Not sure I buy the “nothing really tough” description. 3,850m of climbing in that heat is brutal, even if the gradients aren’t HC. Felt a bit dismissive.cadencekingm06-07-2026
- - Pogacar’s humour about the gels was gold. Also, nice to see him credit Del Toro. That Barcelona gesture coming back today was a proper team arc.michael5406-07-2026
- - Quick question: when they say “break got a free pass” by Visma, does that mean Visma just stopped chasing completely? Or is it more like they eased but still controlled the gap?velodromevirtuoso106-07-2026
- - Sorry, but the piece glosses over how Vermeersch shredded the gap. That was the hinge of the stage. Give him more credit than a single line.raceready706-07-2026
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