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Steven De Jongh to leave Lidl-Trek after a decade
Steven De Jongh announced on Instagram on October 3, 2026 that he will leave Lidl-Trek at the end of the year, ending a ten-year spell with the team and its previous incarnations. "After 10 incredible years, it's time for me to say goodbye to Lidl-Trek," he wrote. His next move has not yet been decided, though he is open to staying in cycling.
De Jongh, the 52-year-old Dutch sports director, joined Trek-Segafredo in 2017. Over his decade at the team he worked with several generations of its leading riders, including Alberto Contador, Richie Porte, Mads Pedersen, Giulio Ciccone, Jasper Stuyven, Quinn Simmons, and Jonathan Milan. Before Trek, he was a sports director at Team Sky and then at Saxo Tinkoff, where he was part of the staff around Alberto Contador. He ended his own professional racing career in 2009. In his announcement, De Jongh thanked Luca Guercilena, Trek, and the riders and staff he worked with during his time at the team. On his future, he said: "As for me, I'm keeping my options open. Cycling has been such a big part of my life for so long, And I think that will not change." His departure comes as part of Lidl-Trek's wider overhaul under the Schleck Era.
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