Marine Lenehan is the latest Irish rider to become a top flight professional cyclist after she has turned her stint as a stagiaire this season into a two-year World Tour contract to the end of 2027.
“Marine’s story is a great example of what’s possible with dedication and talent,” said Luca Guercilena, Lidl-Trek general manager, of Lenehan being a racing novice just three years ago but having already made it to the World Tour.
“In just a few years, she’s made huge progress and shown the qualities we value most – a willingness to learn and to work hard for her goals. We believe she has a lot more potential to unlock, and we’re excited to help her continue developing within our structure.”
Lenehan made her name in European Gran Fondo events, where last year she was the UCI Gravel Gran Fondo World Championships winner, and Gran Fondo European champion.
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However, she has also been an increasingly successful road racer and won her first Irish title last year. After that victory, at the National Criterium Championships, she also finished in the top 10 on all of stages at Rás na mBan last year, with a best place finish of 3rd on stage 4.
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This year she won the Des Hanlon Memorial and was 3rd in the women's road race at the National Road Championships in June in Co Meath, before securing a stagiaire, from August 1st, with Lidl Trek.
She rode Tour de Pologne Women (2.1) - finishing 54th - and then went on to compete in two one-day races in Germany and Belgium; Grand Prix Stuttgart & Region (1.Pro) and Grand Prix de Wallonie (1.1).
She clearly did enough to impress the managers in the Lidl Trek team as they have now signed her for the next two seasons. She is the second Irish rider in the Lidl Trek set-up, alongside leading Irish U23 rider Liam O'Brien.
The Cork man, who still has two seasons remaining as an U23, has been racing with Lidl Trek Future Racing for the last two years but has also been called up at times to the Lidl Trek men's World Tour team.
More to come.
