Lidl-Trek secretly working on lethal cocktail: “I hope the next six months will be very interesting”

Søren Kragh Andersen joined Lidl-Trek after the 2024 season, moving from Alpecin-Deceuninck. It was a sporting decision: at Alpecin, the Classics leadership roles were firmly held by Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen. On top of that, crashes and physical setbacks meant Kragh Andersen never quite hit top form in the chances he did get across 2023 and 2024. His only major win in that period was Eschborn–Frankfurt in 2023.

That stood in stark contrast with the results he had in his seven seasons with what is now Picnic–PostNL. In those years, the Dane won a stage in the Tour de Suisse, Paris–Tours, two Tour de France stages in 2020, and also found success at the BinckBank Tour and in Oman. Yet strangely, in the spring Classics, it never fully clicked. That’s exactly what needs to change at Lidl-Trek.

In 2024, a knee injury left Søren Kragh Andersen with an anonymous spring campaign, and in his debut Tour de France for Lidl-Trek, he was battered physically and finished outside the time limit on stage 12. 2025 was supposed to be better, but it began with saddle sores that wiped out his Classics, and just as he looked to be finding his level again at the Giro d’Italia, he crashed on stage 4 and broke his wrist.

After his return, however, Kragh Andersen promptly became Danish road champion in June, giving him much greater visibility back home while wearing the champion’s jersey at the Tour of Denmark. Mads Pedersen called the shots there, but Kragh Andersen also showed excellent form. He carried that shape into the Vuelta a España, where he has mostly taken on a supporting role. Lidl-Trek’s ambitions are clear: stage wins with Pedersen in green, and Giulio Ciccone as their climber.

The Vuelta remains an important race for Kragh Andersen, especially given the recent transfer market moves. With Stuyven gone and Hoole likely leaving, new space is opening up. “I hope to play a bigger role in Mads’s sprint train, but we haven’t talked about it in detail yet. It’s not something I’ve discussed with the team, but I’m working with Mads now and I hope to keep doing so,” he told IDLProCycling.com.  

For Kragh Andersen, that partnership has extra meaning: he and Pedersen have been close friends since they were very young. That bond was undoubtedly one of the reasons Kragh Andersen chose Lidl-Trek in 2024. Two friends, racing together. “It’s really fun, truly a dream. Mads is at the peak of his career, so I feel grateful to be part of his story. But Lidl-Trek is also growing, and I’m enjoying the good atmosphere and big ambitions here.”

Big ambitions indeed… Since Lidl joined as title sponsor, Lidl-Trek has made major strides, with Mads Pedersen as the clearest proof. The Dane has developed at an incredible pace, winning Classics, taking stages in grand tours, and even climbing alongside the pure mountain specialists. “I don’t live with Mads every day, so I don’t know the big secret. But from what I see, it’s his mentality and mindset that make the difference,” said Søren Kragh Andersen.

And in that ambitious environment, Pedersen’s close friend wants to make big steps of his own. If he can stay injury-free, the “old” Kragh Andersen should be back quickly. “I hope to take steps forward next month and get a win, but this current training block is also very important for the spring of 2026. That’s already in my head.” Because in next year’s Classics, the two Danish teammates will be side by side, taking on Van der Poel and the rest. “I hope the next six months will be very interesting.”

Bram van der Ploeg ( Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email : [email protected])