GS Bareggese and Lidl-Trek announce the start of a close sporting collaboration beginning in the 2027 season. The Gruppo Sportivo Bareggese of Pietro Pastorino, a historic cycling club in the Milan province, will become part of Lidl-Trek's youth cycling collaboration projects, coordinated and managed by Team Manager Markel Irizar.

The collaboration, finalized during the month of August, had an official moment during which the support contribution intended for the club for the next three seasons was formally presented.

The agreement provides, in addition to technical support, the opportunity for GS Bareggese athletes to be included in Lidl-Trek's monitoring program, offering the most promising young riders the chance to be followed in their development path by the professional team.

The project will also allow selected athletes to participate, when deemed useful for their development, in races from the international Junior calendar alongside Lidl-Trek's Junior team.

The 2027 season will already feature Riccardo Longo, Italy's best U17 rider, currently competing for the Alba Orobia-Biassono team under President Grieco.

The young athlete from Cremona will represent one of the key points of this new project: he will be able to race with GS Bareggese in national competitions and, in parallel, compete in some of the most important international classics wearing the Lidl-Trek Junior team jersey.

Pietro Pastorino, GS Bareggese, comments: «We are very pleased with this collaboration, which represents an important recognition of the work we have started in recent years. Our project is born first and foremost from the desire to help young riders: both those who want to experience cycling simply for passion, and those who, thanks to their talent, can have an additional opportunity to pursue their dreams. Our commitment has a strong social component and aims to guarantee the best possible support to a generation of young people who have chosen cycling as part of their lifestyle. We are convinced that personal growth comes before any sporting result and represents the true objective of youth categories.”

In turn, Markel Irizar of Lidl-Trek adds: «Lidl-Trek is very pleased to begin this collaboration. As a team, we want to have the opportunity to identify and monitor the best Italian talent, while avoiding taking them too far from their family and social environment too early. The objective we share with GS Bareggese is to build a long-term growth path for both the person and the athlete. We believe that young riders should continue to race primarily in Italy and, when it is possible and useful for their development, they can also compete with peers from other nations, experiencing these opportunities not only as opponents, but also as teammates. We are confident that over the next three years this project will allow many young riders to have fun and grow through cycling and, for those who demonstrate greater talent and aptitude, it can represent a concrete opportunity to build a future in Lidl-Trek colors.”