The writing was on the wall and now it is official: From 2027 onwards, Giulio Ciccone will be a rider for Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, joining Tom Pidcock on a three-year deal that pushes the Swiss team's level even further.
Ciccone raced for the final time in Lidl-Trek colours this Saturday at Il Lombardia, where he had a strong third place at the finish line. When Paul Seixas first attacked, Ciccone was on the wheel of a rider whom he already knew he would join for the upcoming three seasons: Tom Pidcock.
"Giulio is a rider who brings something you cannot manufacture: character, instinct and a genuine passion for racing," Pinarello - Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team manager Doug Ryder said in a press release issued by the team this Monday morning.
"He has spent years proving himself against the very best, and what excites me is that he still has the hunger to push further.
Giulio Ciccone on the podium of Il Lombardia
Ciccone not afraid to step outside the World Tour
Ciccone signed a three-year deal. The three years he had left at Lidl-Trek were not followed through and the two mutually agreed to terminate the ongoing contract. Now, Ciccone joins the ProTeam-level Pinarello.
"What really matters to us is why he chose this team. He recognized the people, the ambition and the environment we are building. That's important because our team philosophy is not simply about giving riders the best equipment. It's about bringing the right people together, creating trust and giving them everything they need to perform at their highest level".
Ciccone has not won this year but has finished on the podium of the European Championships and GP de Québec behind Remco Evenepoel; finished third at Il Lombardia and Top10 at the World Championships; and was the victor of the KOM classifications at the Giro d'Italia and Volta a Catalunya.
In the past, he has won stages at the Giro d'Italia, won the Clásica San Sebastián, and has proven himself as a top climber and above all classics specialist on many occasions.
"With Giulio, we gain a proven winner, an experienced leader and someone who can make a real difference when races become selective".
"We're building a team where experience, talent and innovation work together. Giulio is an important part of that future, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together."
Ciccone looked for a change of team dynamics
For Ciccone, this is a major move, as he steps down from the World Tour after joining it back in 2019. But there is no worry that his performance will take any hit, taking into consideration how strong the riders of the Swiss team have been performing throughout the past few years.
"After eight years with the same team, this is a big decision, but one I genuinely wanted to make," Ciccone added. I feel I still have a lot to give, and I needed a new challenge, fresh motivation and an environment where I could feel at home.
"From our very first meeting, I felt something different. It wasn't just about numbers, results or technical discussions. I felt real trust and appreciation, and that the people behind this project genuinely wanted me here. For me, the human side of a team comes first. I race with my heart, and the people around me are what give me energy".
Ciccone is Pinarello's 11th signing of the winter, and the sixth of World Tour level. He will have leadership once again in a way he no longer could aim for at Lidl-Trek, whilst being part of a team that's on the rise and has concrete goals for the upcoming years - yearly wildcards and World Tour promotion being two of them.
"Then, when we started discussing the technical side, I was equally impressed. The attention to detail, the equipment, the technology and the ambition to keep improving really stood out. I'm very particular about my bike, and I could immediately see how much care goes into every aspect of performance.
After Davide Ballerini, Ciccone is the Italian signing for this winter. "Being Italian, the connection with Pinarello and Q36.5 also means a lot".
Ciccone on Tom Pidcock
Tom Pidcock's signing into the 2025 season was the spark for Pinarello, which is now a major player in the overall outlook of cycling's market dynamics. The two can team up to be a monument-seeking threat for the hilly races.
"I'm also really looking forward to racing alongside Tom Pidcock. I've always admired him, not only because of his talent, but because he's a rider who thinks differently and isn't afraid to do things his own way. I hope we can bring something extra to each other and build something special together".
"To all the fans who have supported me over the years, I want to say that this is a change I truly believe in," the 31-year old assures. "I still have the same passion, the same hunger and the same desire to give everything on the bike. Now it's time to take that energy into a new chapter, together."
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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- "inside the tent pissing out" is an idiom based on a quote from President Lyndon Johnson. Not sure if you're saying you don't understand the term. The full phrase is "it's probably better to have him inside the tent pissing out, than outside the tent pissing in."wrsty12-10-2026
- Pissing out?? Who is forcing them? They can follow Ayuso's example. And they can be leaders on another team. Ayuso's example again. :)MajorPayne12-10-2026
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- "removing any barriers to their golden goose" What barriers? Ayuso maybe? :) :) :)MajorPayne12-10-2026
- And let's not forget, Tadej Pogačar won his first Tour de France eating pizza, drinking beer and playing Playstation. This kept goinig on for another two years and when he lost the Tour 2X to Jonas, things dramaticaly changed. Today Pogi is a "killing machine." In 2024, in the Tours rest day, Pogi said: "If I compare the year 2019 to what we're doing today, we were real amatuers." ... That is the difference between Pogi and Seixas. Seixas immediately got professional help and advice, he knows exactly what he wants and is already at a very high level. So, the paths of Pogi and Seixas weren't the same.PogiSloFans12-10-2026
- Paul Seixas took off from the WC to Lombardia - smart move it seems. Although Remco at least got the Euro jersey.mij12-10-2026
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