Carlos Verona heads to Lidl-Trek after Ineos Grenadiers ice deal

Carlos Verona can finally breathe a sigh of relief having agreed to join Lidl-Trek in 2024.

The Spanish climber found himself back on the transfer market towards the end of the Tour de France after Ineos Grenadiers decided to pull out of an agreement to sign the current Movistar rider.

The British team had shown interest in Verona since the spring with a letter of intent to sign agreed well before the first Grand Tour of the season.

Verona's representatives were put on red alert over the summer after Ineos decided to move away from the proposed move with several teams informed of Verona's precarious position.

According to sources close to the current situation, and reports in the Spanish media, Verona and Lidl-Trek have agreed terms for next year - although the team has yet to make a public announcement. Verona is not the only star rider on the lookout for a new team after Ineos Grenadiers shut down their interest with former world time trial champion Tobias Foss in a similar position.

GCN approached Ineos for comment on the situation around Foss and Verona last week. The team declined to comment, with a representative stating: “We won't comment on contract negotiations until we're ready to comment on them.”

Ineos are expected to keep Carlos Rodríguez with the Spanish all-rounder set to agree to a multi-year contract having previously agreed to join Movistar Team.

Read more: Ineos Grenadiers ice transfers deals

Verona becomes the eighth signing for Lidl-Trek during what's been a busy transfer market for the American squad. Tao Geoghegan Hart has joined on a three-year deal from Ineos Grenadiers, while Patrick Konrad, Jonathan Milan, Andrea Bagioli, Simone Consonni, Ryan Gibbons, and Fabio Felline have all been announced by the team.

According to previous reports in the media Lidl-Trek had also been interested in signing Primož Roglič for 2024, despite the Slovenian having a contract with Jumbo-Visma for next year. The Dutch team were quick to stamp out any such rumour.

“There has been zero discussion. So I think it’s a complete bullshit story,” Jumbo-Visma directeur sportif Merjin Zeeman told GCN last week.

Elsewhere in the transfer market Ryan Mullen is set to agree a two-year extension with Bora-Hansgrohe. The Irishman will remain on the German squad while Sam Bennett will depart - with AG2R Citroën rumoured to be the leading destination for the sprinter. The French squad have also emerged as one of the favourite teams to sign Tour de France stage winner Victor Lafay.