Trek-Segafredo have backed Giulio Ciccone as a key part of their future, handing the Italian a three-year contract extension.
During the off-season, team manager Luca Guercilena suggested that securing Ciccone's services beyond 2021 would be a priority and he has moved early to secure his services through 2024.
"We are very happy we can rely on Giulio for the future. He has the potential to become a leading rider in the WorldTour. Year after year he has grown, and he has become a more solid rider," Guercilena said.
"We wanted a three-year deal because we believe he can improve even more into a charismatic and winning captain of our team.
"Trusting in a young rider is always an investment with small certainties for a team, but with Cicco the hope of signing a top rider became a reality. Now a new phase of our path together has begun, and we have a new common goal to pursue, one that shines on the most important stages of the cycling world."
Ciccone signed for Trek-Segafredo on a two-year deal in 2019 after starting his professional career with the Bardiani-CSF squad. After winning a stage and the mountains classification at that year's Giro d'Italia, followed by a stint in the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, Trek-Segafredo quickly added another year to his contract.
After kicking off 2020 with a win the Trofeo Laigueglia at the start of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic threw the season out of kilter and he himself contracted COVID-19 in the summer. His season finished with an abandon at the Giro d'Italia due to bronchitis.
Ciccone, who also underwent a nose operation in the winter to improve his breathing, is hoping to step up as a Grand Tour contender this year, riding the Giro d'Italia alongside Vincenzo Nibali before leading the team at the Vuelta a España.
"I'm proud to have the chance to continue wearing the Trek-Segafredo jersey for a long time. This new agreement is a very important demonstration of trust from the team and Trek. It gives me a lot of responsibility but, most of all, it increases my motivation," Ciccone said.
"I think I'm at a crucial moment in my career. In my head there was the desire to invest all my energies in a longer-term project. To make the definitive leap in quality you have to align different needs, first of all environment and also technical solidity. I've never had doubts that continuing with Trek-Segafredo was the best option for my future.
"Today is the day of announcements and words. So, thanks again to the team, to Trek and all the sponsors, and Luca Guercilena for the trust. I look forward to repaying it soon and in my own way: with facts on the road."
