Aleix Espargaró's new role in the LIDL Trek Development Cycling Team has not yet been completely defined. The 35-year-old Spaniard from Granollers near the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona will act as an ambassador and also compete in cycling races, although due to his rookie status he will not take part in World Tour events such as the Tour de France, Giro d'Italia or Vuelta de España or classics such as the Milan-San Remo or Paris Roubaix, but in second-category races, comparable to Moto2 in GP racing.
The Professional Cycling Team Lidl Trek is one of the most successful and renowned in the field, and is ranked 4th in the world. The annual budget of the top team UAE Team Emirates is estimated at 55 to 60 million euros, and the expenditure of Ineos Grenadiers, which is estimated at 50 to 55 million, also ranks in this financial sphere. Team Jumbo Lease a Bike spends a similar amount on stars like Jonas Vingegaard, Wout van Aert and Sepp Kuss. LIDL Trek spends a budget of 30 to 35 million euros per season (which is more than Aprilia Racing puts into MotoGP per year) and, like all other racing teams, has to have contracts with up to 30 professionals.
"I’m thrilled to join the Lidl-Trek family, which is home to some of the world’s best cyclists", explained Aleix Espargaró, three times MotoGP winner on the factory Aprilia. «I’m excited to learn from some of the best cyclists and staff in the sport, push my limits, and share this special journey with fans. After a back injury forced me to give up running I turned to cycling for recovery and training. Over time, it became more than just preparation — it became my passion. Living in Andorra, I made friendships with many pro cyclists, which inspired me to train at a higher level".
"Working with Aleix will be incredibly rewarding for us, and especially for our young riders," said Lidl-Trek General Manager Luca Guercilena. "We know he is a strong, passionate cyclist, but he also brings different experiences and perspectives to the Team. He can help our younger athletes understand and handle the pressures that come with top-level competition. We can't wait to get started working with this racing legend."
Aleix Espargaró trained hard with some Pro cyclists who also are based in the mountains of Andorra and so far always rode the latest S-works models (which is the exclusive brand of bicycle manufacturer Specialized) and will now switch to the famous US brand Trek which took Lance Armstrong to seven Tour de France victories before he was banned because of a huge doping scandal.
Yamaha MotoGP test rider Cal Crutchlow is another passionate race cyclist who has trained for many years with Briton Mark Cavendish, who like Cal has residences in the Isle of Man and Tuscany. "Cav" made headlines in 2024 when he celebrated his 35th Tour de France stage sprint victory for the Astana Qazaqstan team, surpassing legendary superstar Eddy Merckx.
During his sporadic visits to MotoGP, Mark Cavendish liked to say that Cal Crutchlow was strong enough to ride for him as an "apripista" in his team at the TdF. And when "Cav" rode too cautiously on the downhills after a serious fall and lost valuable time, Crutchlow selflessly made himself available as a "riding coach" until his compatriot was back to his old self.