Lidl–Trek (men's team)

(Redirected from Leopard True Racing)

Lidl–Trek (UCI team code: LTK) is a professional road bicycle racing team at UCI WorldTeam level licensed in the United States. Formerly RadioShack–Nissan, in 2014, Trek took over the ownership of the team and its ProTeam License.[1]

Lidl–Trek
Team information
UCI codeLTK
RegisteredLuxembourg (2011–2013)
United States (2014–present)
Founded2011 (2011)
Discipline(s)Road
StatusUCI WorldTeam
BicyclesTrek
ComponentsSRAM
WebsiteTeam home page
Key personnel
General managerLuca Guercilena
Team manager(s)Kim Andersen, Adriano Baffi, Dirk Demol, Alain Gallopin, Josu Larrazabal, Luc Meersman, Yaroslav Popovych, Fabian Cancellara, Steven de Jongh
Team name history
2011 Leopard Trek (LEO)
2012 RadioShack–Nissan (RNT)
2013 RadioShack–Leopard (RLT)
2014–2015 Trek Factory Racing (TFR)
2016—2023 Trek–Segafredo (TFS)
2023— Lidl–Trek (LTK)
Current season

History

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2011

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Andy Schleck (pictured here at the 2011 Tour de France during the team's first season) was instrumental in the foundation of Leopard Trek.

The team was founded in 2011 under the name of Leopard Trek and officially stylized as LEOPARD TREK with Brian Nygaard and Kim Andersen as team managers.[2] The Schleck brothers were under contract with the Danish team Saxo Bank managed by Bjarne Riis through the end of the 2010 season. Several other Team Saxo Bank riders followed the Schleck brothers to the new team, including veterans Jens Voigt,[3] Fabian Cancellara[4] and Stuart O'Grady.[5] Subsequent signings included sprinter Daniele Bennati, Davide Viganò[6] and Joost Posthuma.[7]

The team became active at the start of the 2011 cycling season. On December 13, 2010, Jakob Fuglsang revealed that the team would be called Team Leopard, in reference to the management company run by Nygaard.[8] Trek, the bike supplier, confirmed shortly before the team was officially presented that they would be a co-title sponsor, giving the team a full name of "Leopard Trek."[9]

Team rider Wouter Weylandt died as a result of a high-speed, downhill crash during the 2011 Giro d'Italia. The remaining riders of Leopard Trek left the competition at the completion of the following day's stage.

2012

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For the 2012 season, the team was renamed RadioShack–Nissan–Trek. The reason is that the American Team RadioShack ceased racing, and their former sponsors joined the Luxembourg Cycling Project. Johan Bruyneel along with several riders from Team RadioShack moved to the new team.[10][11] The lineup for 2012 was officially confirmed on December 5, 2011.[12] The official UCI name for the team is RadioShack Nissan[13] and it is registered in Luxembourg.

While the UCI ProTeam is now named RadioShack–Nissan–Trek, in December 2011 Leopard also launched a UCI Continental Team, consisting mainly of U23 riders, called Leopard-Trek.[14]

On July 17, 2012, Fränk Schleck was removed from the 2012 Tour de France by the team during the second rest day after his A-sample returned traces of Xipamide.[15] Team RadioShack–Nissan won the team classification of the Tour de France.

Johan Bruyneel stood down as General Manager on October 12 in the aftermath of the publication by the US Anti-Doping Agency of its "reasoned decision" on the Lance Armstrong doping case.[16]

On December 21, 2012, Nissan announced that they would cease to sponsor the team, with immediate effect.[17]

2013

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During the 2013 Tour de France Team RadioShack-Leopard announced that they would not renew Fränk Schleck's contract, leaving him without a team. It also caused a serious and public rift between his brother Andy Schleck and team management, putting his future with the team into doubt.

In September 2013, Chris Horner beat Vincenzo Nibali to win the 2013 Vuelta a España becoming the oldest grand tour winner in history, winning two stages along the way.

2014

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On July 3, the team announced that Samsung would become a new minor sponsor of the team.[18]

2015

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On December 16, 2015, the team announced that Italian coffee brand Segafredo had committed to a three-year co-title sponsorship effective January 1, 2016, with the team changing name to Trek–Segafredo.[19]

2016

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In April the team announced US software company CA Technologies would sponsor the team with immediate effect until the end of the 2017 season.[20] In March 2017 the deal was extended through 2019.[21]

 
Alberto Contador (pictured at the 2017 Paris–Nice) rode his last professional season with the team in 2017.

For the 2017 season, the team announced the signings of Alberto Contador,[22] John Degenkolb (until 2019),[23] Koen de Kort (until 2018),[23] Jarlinson Pantano,[24] and Ivan Basso.

2020

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The team suspended the 2019 junior road race world champion Quinn Simmons for actions on Twitter, where he used a black hand emoji that Trek–Segafredo considered racially insensitive [25]

2023

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Lidl–Trek team car at the 2023 Tour de France

In 2023, it was announced that both the men's and women's teams would rebrand as Lidl–Trek, thanks to sponsorship from supermarket chain Lidl. This rebrand would come into effect on June 30, prior to the Giro Donne and the Tour de France / Tour de France Femmes.[26]

Doping

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On June 27, 2017, the UCI announced André Cardoso tested positive for erythropoietin in an out-of-competition control on June 18 and has been provisionally suspended.[27] He had been due to support Alberto Contador in his bid for the 2017 Tour de France, with Haimar Zubeldia taking the empty roster place.[28]

In April 2019, Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation confirmed that Jarlinson Pantano had returned an adverse analytical finding for EPO, in a doping test carried out on February 26. Pantano was immediately suspended by the team.[29]

Team roster

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As of January 30, 2024.[30]
Rider Date of birth
  Andrea Bagioli (ITA) (1999-03-23) March 23, 1999 (age 25)
  Julien Bernard (FRA) (1992-03-17) March 17, 1992 (age 32)
  Simone Consonni (ITA) (1994-09-12) September 12, 1994 (age 30)
  Dario Cataldo (ITA) (1985-03-17) March 17, 1985 (age 39)
  Giulio Ciccone (ITA) (1994-12-20) December 20, 1994 (age 29)
  Tim Declercq (BEL) (1989-03-29) March 29, 1989 (age 35)
  Fabio Felline (ITA) (1990-03-29) March 29, 1990 (age 34)
  Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBR) (1995-03-30) March 30, 1995 (age 29)
  Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (ERI) (1994-08-17) August 17, 1994 (age 30)
  Ryan Gibbons (RSA) (1994-08-13) August 13, 1994 (age 30)
  Daan Hoole (NED) (1999-02-22) February 22, 1999 (age 25)
  Alex Kirsch (LUX) (1992-06-12) June 12, 1992 (age 32)
  Patrick Konrad (AUT) (1991-10-23) October 23, 1991 (age 33)
  Juan Pedro López (ESP) (1997-07-31) July 31, 1997 (age 27)
  Jonathan Milan (ITA) (2000-10-01) October 1, 2000 (age 24)
Rider Date of birth
  Bauke Mollema (NED) (1986-11-26) November 26, 1986 (age 37)
  Jacopo Mosca (ITA) (1993-08-29) August 29, 1993 (age 31)
  Thibau Nys (BEL) (2002-11-12) November 12, 2002 (age 22)
  Sam Oomen (NED) (1995-08-15) August 15, 1995 (age 29)
  Mads Pedersen (DEN) (1995-12-18) December 18, 1995 (age 28)
  Quinn Simmons (USA) (2001-05-08) May 8, 2001 (age 23)
  Mattias Skjelmose (DEN) (2000-09-26) September 26, 2000 (age 24)
  Toms Skujiņš (LAT) (1991-06-15) June 15, 1991 (age 33)
  Jasper Stuyven (BEL) (1992-04-17) April 17, 1992 (age 32)
  Natnael Tesfatsion (ERI) (1999-05-23) May 23, 1999 (age 25)
  Edward Theuns (BEL) (1991-04-30) April 30, 1991 (age 33)
  Mathias Vacek (CZE) (2002-06-12) June 12, 2002 (age 22)
  Otto Vergaerde (BEL) (1994-07-15) July 15, 1994 (age 30)
  Carlos Verona (ESP) (1992-11-04) November 4, 1992 (age 32)

Major wins

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National & World champions

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2011
  Luxembourg Road Race, Fränk Schleck
  Switzerland Road Race, Fabian Cancellara
  Germany Road Race, Robert Wagner
2012
  Luxembourg Road Race, Laurent Didier
  Denmark Time Trial, Jakob Fuglsang
  Switzerland Time Trial, Fabian Cancellara
2013
  New Zealand Road Race, Hayden Roulston
  Switzerland Time Trial, Fabian Cancellara
  Luxembourg Time Trial, Bob Jungels
  Luxembourg Road Race, Bob Jungels
  Belgium Road Race, Stijn Devolder
  Croatia Road Race, Robert Kišerlovski
2014
  New Zealand Road Race, Hayden Roulston
  Belgian Time Trial, Kristof Vandewalle
  Switzerland Time Trial, Fabian Cancellara
  Luxembourg Time Trial, Laurent Didier
  Japan Time Trial, Fumiyuki Beppu
  Austria Road Race, Riccardo Zoidl
  Luxembourg Road Race, Fränk Schleck
2015
  United States Road Race, Matthew Busche [31]
  Luxembourg Time Trial, Bob Jungels
  Luxembourg Road Race, Bob Jungels
2016
  Australia Road Race, Jack Bobridge
  Switzerland Time Trial, Fabian Cancellara
  Italy Road Race, Giacomo Nizzolo
2017
  Colombia Time Trial, Jarlinson Pantano
  Portugal Road Race, Ruben Guerreiro
  Denmark Road Race, Mads Pedersen
2018
  Ethiopia Time Trial, Tsgabu Grmay
  Ireland Time Trial, Ryan Mullen
  Latvia Time Trial, Toms Skujiņš
2019
  Ireland Time Trial, Ryan Mullen
  Latvia Road Race, Toms Skujiņš
  World Road Race, Mads Pedersen
2020
  Luxembourg U23 Time Trial, Michel Ries
2021
  Latvia Time Trial, Toms Skujiņš
  Latvia Road Race, Toms Skujiņš
  Ireland Time Trial, Ryan Mullen
  Ireland Road Race, Ryan Mullen
2022
  Latvia Time Trial, Toms Skujiņš
  Latvia Road Race, Emīls Liepiņš
  Netherlands Time Trial, Bauke Mollema
2023
  Eritrea Time Trial, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier
  Latvia Time Trial, Toms Skujiņš
  Luxembourg Time Trial, Alex Kirsch
  Latvia Road Race, Emīls Liepiņš
  Czech Road Race, Mathias Vacek
  Denmark Road Race, Mattias Skjelmose
  Luxembourg Road Race, Alex Kirsch
  United States Road Race, Quinn Simmons
  Europe Gravel, Jasper Stuyven
  Belgium Gravel, Jasper Stuyven
2024
  South Africa Time Trial, Ryan Gibbons
  South Africa Road Race, Ryan Gibbons
  Eritrea Time Trial, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier
  Eritrea Road Race, Natnael Tesfatsion
  Netherlands Time Trial, Daan Hoole
  Czech Time Trial, Mathias Vacek
  Danish Time Trial, Mattias Skjelmose

References

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  1. ^ "Trek to take over WorldTour license from Becca in 2014". Cycling News. June 26, 2013. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  2. ^ CS Blog: An open letter to Leopard Trek. Cyclesportmag.com (January 14, 2011). Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  3. ^ Hood, Andrew. (October 22, 2010) Jens Voigt to join Schleck brothers' Luxembourg squad. Velonews.competitor.com. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  4. ^ Cancellara Joins New Luxembourg-Based Team Archived December 1, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ^ Stuart O'Grady signs with Luxembourg Pro Cycling Projet. Velonews.competitor.com (November 1, 2010). Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  6. ^ Luxembourg Pro Cycling snaps up Bennati and Vigano. Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  7. ^ Joost Posthuma confirms via Twitter joining the Luxembourg Pro Cycling project in 2011. Twitter.com (November 22, 2010). Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  8. ^ Luxembourg Team To Be Called Team Leopard. Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  9. ^ Team Leopard-Trek To Be Presented In Luxembourg. Cyclingnews.com (December 13, 2010). Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  10. ^ "Becca Confirms Nygaard's Departure From Leopard Trek". Cyclingnews.com. September 6, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  11. ^ "Leopard-Trek welcomes RadioShack and Nissan as new main sponsors. | LEOPARD TREK". Leopardtrek.lu. Archived from the original on January 2, 2012. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
  12. ^ "RADIOSHACK NISSAN TREK announces 2012 roster". leopardtrek.lu. Leopard Trek. December 5, 2011. Archived from the original on January 7, 2012. Retrieved January 4, 2012.
  13. ^ "UCI to prevent inclusion of Trek name in RadioShack Nissan team title". Velonation.com. Retrieved February 23, 2012.
  14. ^ Hamilton, Alastair (December 8, 2011). "EuroTrash Thursday!". PEZ Cycling News. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
  15. ^ Williams, Richard (July 17, 2012). "Frank Schleck tests positive for banned diuretic and is out of Tour". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  16. ^ "Leopard SA and Johan Bruyneel end their collaboration". radioshackleopardtrek.com. October 12, 2012. Archived from the original on January 24, 2013.
  17. ^ "Nissan confirm immediate split with RadioShack". Cycling News. December 21, 2012. Retrieved December 22, 2012.
  18. ^ "Samsung new sponsor". Cycling News. July 3, 2014. Retrieved July 3, 2014.
  19. ^ "Segafredo joins Trek Factory Racing as co-title sponsor". Cycling News. December 16, 2015.
  20. ^ "Trek-Segafredo sign sponsorship deal with CA Technologies". Cyclingnews.com.
  21. ^ "CA Technologies extends multi-year partnership with Trek-Segafredo". March 31, 2017.
  22. ^ "Contador signs with Trek Segafredo on Tour de France rest day". Cyclingnews.com.
  23. ^ a b "Trek-Segafredo sign John Degenkolb". Cyclingnews.com.
  24. ^ "Pantano signs for Trek-Segafredo". Cyclingnews.com.
  25. ^ September 2020, Kirsten Frattini 30. "Trek-Segafredo suspend Quinn Simmons for 'divisive, incendiary, and detrimental' statements on social media". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved September 30, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  26. ^ Fletcher, Patrick; updated, Daniel Ostanek last (May 5, 2023). "Trek-Segafredo to become Lidl-Trek from Tour de France onwards". cyclingnews.com. Retrieved June 24, 2023.
  27. ^ "UCI statement on André Cardoso". June 27, 2017. Retrieved June 27, 2017.
  28. ^ "Andre Cardoso tests positive for EPO". Cyclingnews.com.
  29. ^ "Trek-Segafredo suspend Pantano after EPO positive".
  30. ^ "Trek–Segafredo". UCI. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  31. ^ Burns, Ted (May 26, 2015). "Busche secures stars-and-stripes jersey at US pro road championships". Cycling News. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
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