Lidl-Trek endured a tumultuous start to the Giro d'Italia. The team's general classification leader, Derek Gee-West, crashed during Stage 2, and sprint ace Jonathan Milan has yet to secure a stage win. The team's ambitious goals for the 2026 season are under pressure, especially after a challenging spring campaign marred by crashes and injuries.

Lidl-Trek’s Giro d'Italia campaign got off to a rocky start. General classification leader Derek Gee-West was involved in a crash during Stage 2 in Bulgaria, resulting in a time loss of 1:11 and a drop to 48th place overall. Sprint ace Jonathan Milan, despite coming close to victory, has twice finished second to Paul Magnier.

The team, backed by the German supermarket chain Lidl, had high expectations for the 2026 season. However, they have struggled to deliver on these expectations, with Gee-West losing time early in the race and Milan yet to secure a stage win. The team’s top sprinter has delivered the bulk of its results so far this year, accounting for six of the team’s eight wins. However, the Giro marks a critical period to turn things around.

The early setback mirrors last year's Giro opening, when Gee-West also lost time early in the race but recovered to finish fourth overall. Gee-West remains optimistic about his chances to recover before the decisive mountain stages later in the week. Meanwhile, Milan is confident that a win is imminent.

Lidl-Trek has high ambitions for the Giro d'Italia, but the team faces significant pressure to deliver after a challenging start. With Gee-West fighting back after the crash and Milan hoping to break through soon, the team will need to perform strongly in the upcoming stages to bounce back from this difficult beginning.