Giulio Ciccone has extended his contract with Trek-Segafredo through to the end of the 2027 season, the US team has announced.
The move comes after the Italian has enjoyed the strongest start to the season of his eight-year pro career. The 28-year-old has racked up stage wins at the Volta a Valenciana, Volta a Catalunya, and last week at the Critérium du Dauphiné in addition to top 10 finishes at Catalunya, Tirreno-Adriatico, and La Flèche Wallonne.
Ciccone was unfortunate to miss out on leading the team at May's Giro d'Italia after coming down with COVID-19 in the lead-up to the race, but he'll now head up the rebranded Lidl-Trek at the Tour de France next month.
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He has been with the team since moving on from Bardiani-CSF for the 2019 season and has taken Giro d'Italia stage wins at Ponte di Legno and Cogne in Trek colours. Ciccone said that he "couldn't be happier" to extend his stay with the team to nine years.
"The desire to extend my contract until 2027 is not just a professional choice, but a life choice. I have decided to spend the best years of my career with this team, this group, this family. My relationship with Trek will extend to nine years and I couldn't be happier," Ciccone said in a team press release.
"A unique relationship has been created between me and the team. From 2019 to present we have built a bond of trust that is now bearing wonderful fruits. It was not always like this, because before we got to where I am now, we also went through troubled times. But mutual trust has never been lacking.
"Thanks to that, I have always managed to pick myself up and come out of the most complicated moments of my life as a rider."
At the Tour de France, Ciccone is set to be joined by climbers Mattias Skjelmose and Bauke Mollema, as well as sprinter Mads Pedersen, though the Lidl-Trek team has yet to be confirmed.
He's in good form following his Giro miss, leading the peloton home for fourth place on stage 6 of the Dauphiné before triumphing from the day-long break with a 20km solo effort on the final stage to La Bastille.
Team general manager Luca Guercilena called Ciccone a "unique talent" in the sport and hinted that the team would build around him going forward.
"We believed in Giulio from the very first moment," he said. "He is a pure talent, his extravagant approach to cycling makes him a unique character in the sport. He has competition in his DNA, he loves winning, and whatever the race, he puts on a show.
"Giulio is a fascinating rider, a bit old-fashioned, and that is why we want to hold on to him. Now, the time for maturity has come. Together, we have set big goals for the future. We will do whatever it takes to give him the best support and to see him bring out all his talent."
