Mathias Vacek makes his case for a starring Tour de France role, despite Ayuso and Pedersen at Lidl-Trek

Mathias Vacek, 24, finished third overall at the 2026 Tour de Suisse behind Tadej Pogačar and Richard Carapaz, demonstrating exceptional form that included a fifth place on stage one, sixth in a sprint finish alongside Pogačar, and fourth in the individual time trial just 10 seconds off the pace. The Czech Lidl-Trek rider is now positioning himself as a potential GC contender at the 2026 Tour de France, despite the team also featuring high-profile riders like Juan Ayuso and Mads Pedersen. IDL Pro Cycling conducted an interview with Vacek ahead of the July race.