Giulio Ciccone to leave Lidl-Trek after eight seasons as Il Lombardia becomes farewell race

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.

Photo Credit: AFP/Getty

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.