In April it became official and at that point they had two months to turn everything into Lidl Trek. Guercilena tells the story, the pieces fall into placeHow is it possible that one's first name can be changed on July 1st, with all the consequences that this entails? The new jerseys to be designed and produced. The rest clothing. The flagship cars, vans, and bus to be repainted.They only failed to get their hands on the bikes, which have new colors at the Tour and will have dedicated graphics starting next year. The girls switched to the red Treks, leaving the blue ones behind.
«Thanks to the help of Segafredo – says the Milanese team manager – we did an excellent job six and a half seasons, having at our disposal the resources that have allowed us to achieve certain results. But there was also the desire to grow, to challenge ourselves at a higher level, with the possibility of continue to work with the young people we have trained and who have finally achieved concrete resultsTo invest in them again and strengthen the team, a change of strategy was needed. And so, in agreement with Segafredo itself, We started to evaluate possible options and luckily we arrived at Lidl».
When did the contact with Lidl come about?
There had already been a meeting last winter, then Gradually things progressed and there was a common desire to leave as early as July for obvious reasons. So we did everything we could to make that happen.
How much work did it take to get everything done on time?
A huge job. Already at the end of the year we had also changed the brand of cars, so we spent the whole winter designing them with the Segafredo brand. Instead In May, after the Giro, we sent them all back to wear the Lidl-Trek colorsIt was a really complicated job, having only two months and almost four simultaneous activities. And it wasn't just about the team...
That?
As always, no matter how much there is a common interest and no matter how many large companies have found an agreement, there are always the technical times of the negotiation that make everything drag outBut we were aware of the rules of the game and it was important as managers to avoid panic and confusion. We were realistic, We set a reachable arrival point and left the rest alone, at least for now.The only way to avoid making a bad impression.
Lidl had already been on Quick Step's jerseys.
The only thing we know about their deal is that it was tied to Lidl Belgium, while we made the deal with Lidl International. The person who was previously in charge of the Belgian branch is now the CEO of Lidl International. His name is Kenneth McGrath, he raced and his father had a bike shopThere's a sort of common thread with cycling, in short...
Did you part ways with Segafredo on good terms?
Yes, because I am convinced that we achieved the goals we set ourselvesAs an Italian, I think we can only say thank you to Dr. Zanetti, because in the end he was the only one who believed in it and wanted to invest real money into the team for six and a half years. He implemented a marketing campaign that certainly brought him global visibility in Asia, the Pacific, Italy, Europe and of course in America, so we have certainly more than honoured the brand.
Why stop?
I believe that after six and a half years the cycles are closed, as has happened for other big names, like Fassa Bortolo. They informed us that they would have liked to explore other options, but the relationship remained one of great friendship. I believe that Dr. Zanetti can explain to many entrepreneurs the advantage of having sponsored cycling, because in the end, regardless of the marketing choices, I believe that the benefit has been experienced both with the men's team and especially with the women's team, with whom we won a lot and which has brought prestige to the brand.
Was there ever a real possibility of it becoming an Italian team with Segafredo as the first name?
We discussed it a bit at the beginning. In 2016, the only truly outsized budget was Sky's, but within 2-3 years the teams with very high budgets became 3-4-5, so Whether or not a company is a first name also depends on the numbers and how much it can really invest. That was the real limit, and just as we experienced it, others are now experiencing it too. WorldTour professional cycling is getting really expensive, so the target company that can invest a certain amount of money is obviously very different. This is obviously if we're not talking about nation states...
Will the new budget allow you to retain young players and also open up the transfer market?
To be realistic about the budget we will have to wait until the end of the year and the UCI reports for 2024, when we will know which quarter of the ranking we will place in. The goal is to keep the guys we have and invest in some other athletes (the arrival of Jonathan Milan now seems certain, ed.), knowing that the 4-5 stars have very long contracts.But this doesn't stop us, because we know that cycling thrives on cycles, and if you work hard, you can achieve the results you want.
Did the presence of the women's team play an important role?
It was one of the musts to define where they would invest. The female athlete It is of great interest, since One of Lidl's goals is fresh food and proper nutritionWe know that female athletes are even more attentive than men and therefore the women's team was absolutely necessary, in addition of course to the youth aspects.
Will you make a Devo Team?
It will be a men's Devo Team from 2024 and we will evaluate whether to have a women's one from 2025, based on the possibility of having a sufficient number of capable athletes. Initially, for the U23s, I had considered relying on an existing Italian continental team, but we'll have to figure out whether the sponsor wants to keep it in Italy or abroad. I was talking to a friend and I said that If all the WorldTour teams now form devo teams, the best ones will disappear from circulationBut these are all considerations that need to be explored further; right now, our focus is primarily on the Tour.
