Image 1 of 50 Tony Martin and Tom Boonen at the Lidl press conference (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 2 of 50 Riders meet with the press at the announcement of Lidl as a team sponsor (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 3 of 50 Meet the press at the announcement of Lidl as a sponsor of the Etixx-QuickStep team (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 4 of 50 Riders Tony Martin and Tom Boonen at the announcement of Lidl as a team sponsor for 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 5 of 50 Tom Boonen attends the press conference of Etixx-QuickStep's new sponsor Lidl (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 6 of 50 Team Manager Patrick Lefevere (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 7 of 50 Tony Martin attends the press conference that announced Lidl as a new sponsor of Etixx-QuickStep (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 8 of 50 Tony Martin (Germany) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 9 of 50 Tom Boonen (Belgium) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 10 of 50 Patrick Lefevere, team manager at Etixx-QuickStep (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 11 of 50 Patrick Lefevere, team manager at Etixx-QuickStep (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 12 of 50 Boudewijn Van Den Brand (Ned) CEO Lidl (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 13 of 50 Boudewijn Van Den Brand (Ned) CEO Lidl (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 14 of 50 Jeroen Bal Marketing Director at Lidl (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 15 of 50 Team manager Patrick Lefevere (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 16 of 50 The press conference gets underway to announce Etixx-QuickStep's news sponsor Lidl (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 17 of 50 Lidl new sponsor of Etixx-QuickStep press conference (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 18 of 50 Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 19 of 50 Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 20 of 50 Tony Martin and Tom Boonen join the team press conference (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 21 of 50 Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 22 of 50 Jeroen Bal Marketing Director at Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 23 of 50 Jeroen Bal Marketing Director at Lidl (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 24 of 50 Jeroen Bal Marketing Director at Lidl attends the team press conference (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 25 of 50 Tom Boonen (Belgium) (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 26 of 50 Tom Boonen speaks at a press conference that announced Lidl as the new sponsor of Etixx-QuickStep (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 27 of 50 Press conference, Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 28 of 50 Tony Martin speaks at a press conference, Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 29 of 50 The press conference panel, Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 30 of 50 Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 31 of 50 Tom Boonen (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 32 of 50 Tony Martin at Lidl press conference (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 33 of 50 Tom Boonen at Lidl press conference (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 34 of 50 Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 35 of 50 Tom Boonen and Tony Martin head to the market, Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 36 of 50 Tom Boonen, Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 37 of 50 Press conference, Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 38 of 50 Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 39 of 50 Tom Boonen meet with Lidl crew at a press conference (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 40 of 50 Patrick Lefevere, team manager (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 41 of 50 Boudewijn Van Den Brand (Ned) CEO Lidl (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 42 of 50 Tony Martin meets the press at the press conference announcing Lidl as a team sponsor (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 43 of 50 Tom Boonen (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 44 of 50 Patrick Lefevere, team manager (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 45 of 50 Tony Martin, Tom Boonen and Patrick Lefevere (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 46 of 50 Tom Boonen and Tony Martin at a press conference to announce Lidl as a team sponsor (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 47 of 50 Tom Boonen, Tony Martin and Patrick Lefevere meet with Lidl (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 48 of 50 Tom Boonen, Tony Martin and Patrick Lefevere meet with Lidl, the new sponsor of Etixx-QuickStep (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 49 of 50 Tom Boonen, Tony Martin and Patrick Lefevere meet with Lidl (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com) Image 50 of 50 Tom Boonen, Lidl to sponsor Etixx-QuickStep in 2016 and 2017 (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)

Lidl, the large European supermarket chain, will become a new sponsor of the Etixx-QuickStep team in 2016 and 2017, with Marcel Kittel expected to join the team if he can convince Giant-Alpecin to terminate his 2016 contract, according to reports in Belgium.

Team manager Patrick Lefevere announced the arrival of Lidl at a special press conference in the presence of Tony Martin and Tom Boonen Wednesday morning. Lidl was officially described as the team’s ‘Fresh food supplier’ during the press conference, with Lefevere confirming the supermarket chain will replace Renson, who recently became a sponsor of the Giant-Alpecin team in 2016. The Lidl logo is likely to appear on the rear of the team’s shorts and on the shoulders of the jersey.

"I am proud and even emotional that I can announce this news. Lidl is perhaps the largest private company that is stepping in cycling. This is not only a good thing for our team, but also for cycling in general," Lefevere said, clearly hoping that Lidl will increase its sponsorship in the future. I terminated the contract with Renson myself, because I had this ambitious project."

Lefevere did not give any news on the possible arrival of Marcel Kittel.

Lidl Belgium Purchasing and Marketing Director Jeroen Bal confirmed that the sponsorship came via Lidl Belgium but suggested other countries could also join the sponsorship. Lidl plan to open its first store in the USA in 2018.

"Team Etixx – Quick-Step Cycling is one of the biggest cycling teams in the world. The motivation for our sponsorship is to use cycling and the team to spread awareness of Lidl as a key supplier for fresh products," Bal said in a statement from the team. "This is primarily a collaboration with Lidl Belgium, but of course we will be offering the possibility to all other countries to join in. Cycling and Team Etixx-Quickstep Cycling are also extremely popular outside of the Belgian borders."

Tony Martin claimed he shops at Lidl and was especially pleased to see a major German-based company invest in professional cycling.

"I'm looking forward to the next year. I'm curious what the future will bring. I think Lidl will be a strong partner, and they will support us really well. I also think we can give back to them, and we will be a good investment like we also are for the current sponsors. I think it will be a nice combination," he said.

"As a German rider I am proud of this partnership with a German company. I shopped there a lot as a child with my parents, and I shop there currently. Having them as a partner is special. The last years have not been so easy in cycling. A world brand like Lidl as a partner in cycling is a really good sign for the sport, and also for German cycling that a German brand has entered the fold. It's a really good moment for us, and I am excited to see what the 2016 season will bring."

The German-based retail chain has 8,000 supermarkets in 23 European countries. Lidl Belgium has been a minor sponsor with the Lotto-Belisol in the past and a sponsor of the Tour of Flanders but seems to have increased its sponsorship in cycling by teaming up with Etixx-QuickStep.