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.
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.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
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.
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leedorney02-11-2026 - Watch the interview on youtube. I don't speak French. I do speak English and Spanish and you can hear it in his voice. Years ago LeMond had real personal problems I imagine in no small part because of Armstrong. then Armstrong goes round "full blast" re: LeMond having drinking and drug problems. The same way Andreu was expelled from mainstream cycling so was LeMond. On the positive side the clips of the ride and chatting with old teammates and was good. To seemed like a fun day and experience and good reason brush up his French.atom02-11-2026
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Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026 - Welcome to the off-season.
santiagobenites02-11-2026 - guillaume martin in this list is quite a surprise as a gc rider.Ketterechts02-11-2026
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