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UAE Emirates-XRG signed its next teenage phenomenon, while Lidl-Trek doubles down on budding Czech cobble-basher Mathias Vacek in the latest moves in the 2025-26 transfer season.
What’s significant is that these latest two deals see more long-term contracts among the peloton’s richest teams.
UAE’s new teenage gem is 19-year-old Adrià Pericas of Spain, who pens a deal through 2030, the same year UAE has Tadej Pogačar locked down.
Lidl-Trek will keep homegrown talent Vacek in team colors through 2029, making it the longest contract for the new-look team if you’re not counting Mads Pedersen, on a “forever contract” with the U.S.-German-backed squad.
Also read: All the wild rumors and big transfers shaking up the market
With more sponsor money flooding into team ownership — Lidl recently bought a controlling interest in the WorldTour squad — riders are signing unprecedented five-year-plus deals.
These two new contracts, confirmed Monday, show how the sport’s biggest budgets are now playing the long game. Both deals have significance for each time, let’s dive in:
UAE doubles down on youth
Pericas, shown here at Giro Next Gen, makes the leap to the WorldTour. (Photo: Tommaso Berardi/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
It’s not exactly like UAE is looking for the next Pogačar, but in reality, it is.
At 27, Pogačar has already hinted he might not race beyond his current deal that runs through 2030. UAE’s front office isn’t waiting around to find his successor.
Pericas joins another 19-year-old wunderkind Pablo Torres in a swelling youth core that includes Juan Ayuso, Isaac del Toro, Antonio Morgado, and Jan Christen — all under 25 and already producing wins in the WorldTour.
Pericas will step up from UAE’s Gen Z development team after a breakthrough season, including a top-10 at the Giro d’Italia U23 and a stage win at Croatia’s Istrian Spring Tour, with his next big test being the Tour de l’Avenir in August.
We’re proud to confirm that 19-year-old Spanish talent @adriapericas will step up from our Gen Z development team to the WorldTour roster in 2026 on a five-year deal.
From his roots in Tona, Catalonia to standout results like a stage win at the Istrian Spring Tour and a… pic.twitter.com/6quNXllfjJ
— @UAE-TeamEmirates (@TeamEmiratesUAE) August 11, 2025
“We’ve watched his development closely through the Gen Z structure, and we believe he has the qualities to be a part of our long-term project,” said team boss Mauro Gianetti. “The focus will be for him to continue to grow with us, both as a rider and as a person.”
For UAE, the Pericas signing reinforces a strategy of scouting young riders, keeping them in-house on its development squad, and then bumping the best ones to the WorldTour team.
It’s a big-money, big-picture bet that UAE hopes will pay off with super-sized grand tour-caliber returns a few years down the road.
Lidl-Trek locks in Vacek through 2029
Vacek celebrates a win at the Tour de Wallonie in July. (Photo: Luc Claessen/Getty Images)
With classics stalwarts Jasper Stuyven heading to Soudal Quick-Step and Tim Declercq retiring, Lidl-Trek is banking its cobbled future on Vacek.
The 23-year-old Czech champion has grown steadily since joining in 2023 with a string of promising results. In 2025, he backed Pedersen’s sprint wins at the Giro d’Italia, and doubled up on Czech national road and TT titles before winning a stage and finishing runner-up overall at the Tour de Wallonie.
“It’s now my third year in the team and I’m super happy with how I’m developing,” Vacek said. “I couldn’t imagine making such a jump to the top level. The team trusted me, gave me freedom, and now I can pay them back with results. I’ve worn white in the Vuelta and the Giro, now I’d like to do it at the Tour. The classics are my favorite races, and I know I have the power to be a big player.”
We’re locked in with Mathias Vacek for four more years
️ https://t.co/xELfukOFhd pic.twitter.com/XOjcDQ6Z8j
— Lidl-Trek (@LidlTrek) August 11, 2025
For Lidl-Trek, it’s a long-term commitment to a rider they believe is on the cusp of major success.
“Mathias has all the makings of a big champion,” said GM Luca Guercilena. “His work ethic, how he learns from those around him, and how he treats his teammates speak volumes about his character. Combined with his physical ability, he’s on the verge of some big wins. We’re excited to discover his full potential over the next four years.”