"The Giro seems cursed for Giulio" - Ciccone's crash the only blemish in Lidl-Trek's near-perfect 2025 Giro d'Italia

With six stage wins and a Maglia Ciclamino, things could hardly have gone any better for Lidl-Trek at the 2025 Giro d'Italia. As such, team boss Luca Guercilena has been left an incredibly happy man post-race. Sadly though, there was one blemish as the team's GC hopeful Giulio Ciccone, was forced to abandon before stage 15 after a nasty crash.

"We’ve won stages before and even the points jersey, but never with this kind of dominance. This time, we took six stages — something we’d never achieved, not only at the Giro, but in any Grand Tour," begins the Italian's reflections of 2025's first Grand Tour in conversation with Bici.Pro. "The fact those wins came from three different riders (Mads Pedersen, Daan Hoole, Carlos Verona) makes it all the more extraordinary."

As mentioned though, the abandon of Ciccone remains a sad topic for Guercilena and Lidl-Trek. "That’s a big regret. He got through the time trials very well, and there were plenty of climbs in the third week that suited him," he assesses. "So yes, it’s a real shame he couldn’t take advantage of that opportunity. The Giro seems cursed for Giulio — for one reason or another, he’s never been able to show what he’s truly capable of. This year, he was in peak form and had the perfect role. But he’ll try again. We’ll try again."

If anything though, Ciccone's abandon only brought the remainder of Lidl-Trek's Giro d'Italia team closer together. "That’s always been one of our hallmarks. Some teams achieve results through one standout rider; we’ve always focused on being a united group that supports each other," says Guercilena. "Having Mads has taken us up a level, of course — a competitive team naturally bonds, because winning helps you win more."

"We don’t have huge turnover — many of our riders stay with the team for years, which helps build strong relationships. That makes everything easier. In recent seasons, we’ve also increased pre-race camps, so the guys spend a lot of time together — including before this Giro," he adds. "Of course, in a three-week race, there are always problems — but when the group is close-knit, they’re much easier to solve."

"Mads is like a flagbearer for the team. He turned pro with us and he’ll stay with us. What makes him special is that even though he’s a world-class champion, he’s always ready to give everything for others," Guercilena concludes, warmly praising the superstar Dane. "He’s a charismatic figure and a natural leader — people look up to him because he always leads by example. He supports the team, grounds the group when needed, and raises the bar when the moment calls for it. He leads with action first, then words — and he’s a brilliant example of what we’re about."