Mathias Vacek makes his case for a starring Tour de France role, despite Ayuso and Pedersen at Lidl-Trek
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Follow us on GoogleLidl-Trek head to the 2026 Tour de France with a rock-solid team. But in July, the would-be leaders might just find themselves overshadowed by the would-be helpers. At the Tour de Suisse, Mathias Vacek rode showed extraordinary form to coolly finish third overall behind heavyweights Pogačar and Carapaz. IDL Pro Cycling spoke to the 24-year-old Czech after the race.
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That Vacek can ride very fast is, of course, no secret by now. But what he did at the Tour de Suisse was seriously impressive. He caught the eye on day one, surviving up front among the climbers on a scorching, leg-breaking day — the only rider over 70 kilos to manage it. Tadej Pogačar won, while Vacek came home fifth in the chasing group.
A day later, Vacek was among the best again. The win slipped through his fingers, but he sprinted for sixth in a small group alongside Pogačar. In the individual time trial on day four, he finished fourth, 10 seconds behind Pogačar. That sent him into the final stage third overall, in a top ten otherwise made up entirely of pure climbers. Vacek defended that place with real verve on a mountain stage.
Vacek, who broke through back in 2022 as a Gazprom-RusVelo rider with a stage win at the UAE Tour, has shown more than once since joining Lidl-Trek that he can climb very well on a top day — though he would often crack in the closing kilometres. His best overall results came mainly in races for the Classics specialists, such as the Tour of Norway and the Baloise Belgium Tour.
His third place in Switzerland was on another level; he had never produced a result like it. On the final day he stood on the podium alongside Pogačar and Richard Carapaz, having kept strong climbers such as Ilan Van Wilder, Brandon McNulty, Primož Roglič and Wilco Kelderman (well) behind him. The legs are good heading into the Tour de France — the starting point for our interview with Vacek.
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Vacek also won the white youth jersey in the Tour de Suisse.
Vacek grins at the start of the Tour de Suisse
After Paris-Roubaix, you didn't race for 2.5 months. What was that period like, leading up to the Tour de France?
"It was a good spell. I was able to prepare myself well and put a lot of work in. I also had a good rest after the Classics, so I'm looking forward to the Tour de France. Everything is going well, and I'm happy with the form I have now."
At the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Juan Ayuso already called you and Mads Pedersen the two engines for the Tour, particularly for the team time trial on day one. How do you see your role in the Tour de France?
"The team time trial is quite a big goal, and I think we have plenty of power to be involved in the fight for the yellow jersey on day one. We can have confidence in the team we've got, but let's see what happens."
With Pedersen on the Tour team, you have a rider who will sprint and go for the green jersey. In recent years, we’ve seen you take on a supporting role because of that. Will that be the case this time, or will you also get your own chances?
"There are 21 stages, so there’s bound to be an opportunity for me, just like last year in the Giro d’Italia. We’re focusing on the green jersey with Mads and the general classification with Juan, so I’ll mainly be there to support them. We’ll take it day by day to see if I’ll need to work or if I’ll get a chance. I’m ready for any scenario. If I get the chance, I’ll take it.”
How do you think Mads Pedersen is shaping up heading into the Tour de France?
"Mads is fully focused on the Tour de France, so I'm counting on him to be in good shape. He skipped the Baloise Belgium Tour so he could train even harder. Mads will be ready."
And how well will Mathias Vacek do in the Tour, after such a successful preparation?
"It's been great to be able to focus on myself for 2.5 months—on work, training, and all the little details. I've made progress, and I'm confident that I'm at least as strong as I was during last year's Giro."
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
- I’m still learning the calendar: is cyclocross mainly preparation for the spring classics, or does he race it as a separate goal as well? I’d love to see him back in the mud.jeremya04-11-2026
- The article makes it sound as if Roubaix is the only classic where he has a realistic shot. He’s been close in Flanders too, and one good tactical day can change everything.jennifer1904-11-2026
- Milan-Sanremo and Roubaix is a pretty special pair of Monuments. Any clues yet on which cyclocross races he’ll target?andrewf04-11-2026
- He’s right to be realistic about Flanders with Pogačar and Evenepoel around, but you can’t count Van Aert out on those roads. If he gets the right opportunity, he has the engine and experience to take it.davidm04-11-2026
- That Roubaix win felt like such a release after all the near-misses. Brilliant to hear that joy outweighed relief for Wout.patriciaw04-11-2026
- Why would a mountain time trial be different from a normal one? Is it just that the riders have to climb the whole course?samanthak03-11-2026
- I don’t quite buy the “fear of failure” argument. Riders can race the Giro and still have confidence in July; it comes down to recovery and planning, doesn’t it?patriciaw03-11-2026
- The Giro-Tour double is a massive ask, even for the very best. Pogačar made it look almost routine in 2024, but that’s hardly a sensible benchmark for everyone else!pedalpowe2903-11-2026
- Bakelants makes a fair point: if the 2027 Tour really suits Remco, he can’t afford to dilute the build-up. That 37km flat TT will be tempting, mind.julien03-11-2026
- Mont Blanc sounds like a spectacular finish, though four climbs on the final day might be a bit much after eight hard stages. Hope the route details are clear soon.raceready703-11-2026