The 28-year-old, who is leaving Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe at the end of the season, has been one of the established sprinters in the peloton for several years. Meeus celebrated his greatest success in 2023, when he won the prestigious final stage of the Tour de France on the Champs-Élysées. In addition, the Belgian has racked up numerous other top results and underlined his class this season with, amongst other things, victories at the Ename Samyn Classic and the Brussels Cycling Classic.
At Lidl-Trek, Meeus is set to take on a dual role in future. On the one hand, he will support Jonathan Milan as a key lead-out man in sprint finishes; on the other, he may get opportunities of his own. The Belgian is particularly keen to achieve results of his own in selected sprint races and classics. “I’ll be helping Jonny with the lead-outs and trying to get him into the best possible position for the sprints,” explained Meeus. At the same time, he is looking forward to gaining experience in a slightly different role and developing further as a rider.
As well as his sprinting prowess, Meeus also impresses with his versatility. Lidl-Trek particularly highlights his ability to position himself skilfully in hectic finishes and to remain competitive even in demanding one-day races. He is expected not only to strengthen the sprint group, but also to bolster the team’s classics squad.
Lidl-Trek CEO Andy Schleck described the new signing as a key addition: Meeus has excellent instincts in the final stages, is versatile and has already proven, with successes such as his Tour de France stage victory, that he can win at the very highest level.
Lukas Niebuhr
Editor
