Giulio Ciccone to leave Lidl-Trek after eight seasons as Il Lombardia becomes farewell race. October 9, 2026 Giulio Ciccone will leave Lidl-Trek at the end of the 2026 season, bringing an eight-year spell with the team to a close after Saturday's Il Lombardia. The Italian joined the organisation in 2019, when it was still racing as Trek-Segafredo, and became one of its most recognisable climbers and one-day leaders. Lidl-Trek confirmed that the 31-year-old will move on after the season rather than continue into 2027. Il Lombardia will now double as Ciccone's farewell race for the team. He starts as one of the strongest Italian contenders after finishing second to Remco Evenepoel in the European Championships road race last weekend and arrives in strong enough form to make the departure more than a ceremonial final appearance. Eight seasons with Trek. Ciccone joined Trek-Segafredo in 2019 after three seasons with Bardiani-CSF. His time with Trek has included stage wins, mountains classifications and a gradual shift from breakaway climber towards a rider trusted in major one-day races and selective stage races. He wore the yellow jersey at the 2019 Tour de France, won the mountains classification at the Tour in 2023 and twice took the same competition at the Giro d'Italia. In 2025 he added the Clásica San Sebastián to his palmarès and finished second at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The 2026 season has been another strong one. Ciccone wore the maglia rosa at the Giro and later secured the mountains classification, while his autumn included second at GP Québec and a photo-finish silver medal behind Evenepoel at the European Championships. ProCyclingUK covered his day in pink at the Giro and his runner-up finish at GP Québec earlier this season. Il Lombardia becomes the final Lidl-Trek race. Ciccone's final start for the team comes at one of the races that suits him best. He finished third at Il Lombardia in 2024 and returns this year as one of Lidl-Trek's main cards alongside Juan Ayuso. The 2026 edition is unusually open with Tadej Pogačar absent, and Ciccone's recent form puts him among the riders capable of taking advantage. ProCyclingUK's Il Lombardia contenders preview includes him among the leading challengers for Saturday's Monument. That gives his departure a different feel from the usual end-of-contract announcement. Rather than fading out at the end of the calendar, Ciccone leaves Lidl-Trek while still racing close to his best level. Pinarello-Q36.5 heavily linked with Ciccone. Ciccone's next team has not yet been officially announced, but Italian reports have consistently linked him with Pinarello-Q36.5. A three-year deal running through 2029 has been reported, which would put him alongside Tom Pidcock from next season. Until that move is confirmed by the receiving team, the only formal announcement is the end of Ciccone's time with Lidl-Trek. The timing nevertheless points towards a normal transfer rather than retirement, with Ciccone still performing at a level that makes him an obvious leader for another WorldTour or top ProTeam programme. For Lidl-Trek, his departure also comes during a wider reshaping of the climbing group. The team have already added Juan Ayuso and confirmed Felix Gall for 2027, increasing the competition for leadership in the races where Ciccone has traditionally had his best opportunities.

Lidl-Trek veteran Jacopo Mosca announces retirement - Rider to become sports director as free space could clear way for Ganna transfer. Tuesday, 06 October 2026 at 13:45 Lidl-Trek have announced that veteran Jacopo Mosca will retire this month, bringing his iconic career to an end as he joins the team's staff as sports director from 2027. The 33-year-old Italian calls time on his career after eight seasons at WorldTour level with the team. Joining the team in his early twenties after struggling to break into the top tier of the sport, he finishes his career with three wins and eight Grand Tour appearances. His last race will see him take on Gran Piemonte on home roads before moving to the team car from next season. His retirement now frees up the final spot on their roster for 2027, with 29 riders confirmed for next season. The team have been linked with a surprise move for Filippo Ganna, and now have the space on their team to register the Italian should the decision be finalised. "He's not the only one that can come close... the guy next to me" - Tadej Pogacar warns of Del Toro "In 2019, I joined a very small team, but a very good one, D'Amico-UM Tools. I need to thank them, because they gave me the possibility to believe I could still be a rider and gave me a very good calendar," Mosca said. "I was away racing and I got a message from Josu [Larrazabal] and Adriano Baffi. They said 'we're looking for a guy like you for next year.'" Mosca to become sports director. The Italian will become sports director at the team as the staffing side of the structure continues its year of change, which included Andy Schleck's new role as CEO and the departure of Luca Guercelina after 16 years with the team. "I grew a lot with the team and I showed that as a rider I was always there to help others. I think 2020 was my best year as a rider, I had good numbers and got good results. A bad crash the following year made things difficult, but I came back at a high level. From that moment, I was always a helper and I tried to be the best helper possible. "I was given the option of being a sports director for next year and I'm really happy to step in the car next season, even if it is going to be a big change. I'm really looking forward to it." Read also. Mosca hopes to teach skills to the new generation. Mosca knows that cycling is evolving at a faster pace than ever, and hopes that his role as a rider can help him get through to cyclists. His main motivation is to pass the torch to the younger generation. "I've seen how much cycling has evolved and I think they can trust me because I have come straight from being a rider and I was one of the guys who probably suffered the most in the bunch. "I think, in the end, most of the time it is your head that makes a difference and gives you motivation so you can do more with your legs. I want to teach younger riders, above all, to enjoy cycling as much as possible. It's a beautiful privilege that we have to be able to do this." After you click "Subscribe," you'll receive an email from CyclingUpToDate.com right away. In some cases, it may end up in your spam folder, so be sure to check there as well to confirm. Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42. His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin's writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate. claps 0 visitors 0

Giulio Ciccone on the move? Tom Pidcock's Pinarello might pull off another massive transfers. Wednesday, 23 September 2026 at 12:30 Lidl-Trek have recently confirmed the signing of Felix Gall and Gregor Mühlberger, further boosting a mountain block that was already crowded to begin with. It's uncertain how so many leaders would fit together, but reportedly, they may not. Giulio Ciccone is said to be potentially leaving the German team, despite having three more years in his contract. Ciccone turned professional in 2016 with the Bardiani team, immediately winning a stage at the Giro d'Italia and making a strong impression that year. He moved to Lidl-Trek in 2019, having become one of the best climbers and classics specialists in the world. Alongside 13 wins in his palmarès, Ciccone has conquered the KOM jersey at the Tour de France in 2023; as well as two times at the Giro d'Italia - 2019 and 2026. He has won three times at the Giro, won the Clásica San Sebastián and several other races at World Tour level; whilst having finished on the podiums of Il Lombardia and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. "He's not the only one that can come close... the guy next to me" - Tadej Pogacar warns of Del Toro Ciccone is a rider that has consistently delivered. His goals of becoming a Grand Tour rider never came to be, with his prime performance being the 2024 Tour de France where he finished in 11th place. After a disappointing 2025 bout, he decided to steer away from the three-week races when it comes to fighting for the GC. Giulio Ciccone alongside Derek Gee at this year's Giro d'Italia Ciccone might follow in the footsteps of Mattias Skjelmose. With Lidl-Trek having Juan Ayuso, Mattias Skjelmose, Derek Gee, Mads Pedersen and Jonathan Milan all carrying their own ambitions in the Grand Tours, there would be less space for Ciccone to be a leader - whilst his skills lie elsewhere. The Italian was recently second behind Remco Evenepoel at the GP de Québec and seventh at the GP de Montréal, making him an outsider to conquer the rainbow jersey. But his future is far from certain. Ciccone has a contract until 2029 with the German team. But like his teammate Mattias Skjelmose who extended his deal earlier this winter, Ciccone is also potentially leaving the team at the end of this season. Read also. Pinarello and Tudor interested in giulio Ciccone. According to Het Laatste Nieuws, Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team are high on signing the 31-year old. The Swiss team has already conducted eight signings that have been made public, but have not completed their 2027 team yet - and they might take in yet another leader. Wielerflits has reported that not only in Pinarello looking to bring the climber in, but so is Tudor Pro Cycling Team who have seen the retirement of Julian Alaphilippe this year, and have not yet signed a rider of a similar budget. After you click "Subscribe," you'll receive an email from CyclingUpToDate.com right away. In some cases, it may end up in your spam folder, so be sure to check there as well to confirm. A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site's editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling. Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate's wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage. He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed. Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor's degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport. Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)... Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate's English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage. claps 0 visitors 0