“We have the ambition to win, not to ride for 5th or 6th place" - Giulio Ciccone 'better than ever' ahead of 2025 Giro d'Italia
CyclingTuesday, 06 May 2025 at 14:30
Ahead of the 2025 Giro d'Italia, teams across the peloton are full of hope and ambition. With Lidl-Trek however, that ambition is certainly well placed as they back the inform duo of Mads Pedersen and Giulio Ciccone for stage wins and the general classification respectively.
Especially with Ciccone, who arrives at his home Grand Tour fresh off the back of a stage win and 4th overall at the recent Tour of the Alps, and a best ever Monument finish of 2nd at Liege-Bastogne-Liege in late April. “He’s better than ever,” Lidl-Trek team manager Luca Guercilena tells IDL Pro Cycling with confidence. “We have the ambition to win, not to ride for fifth or sixth place. That makes no sense. If he stays as strong and competitive as he is now and keeps improving, he will have our full support in that goal.”
A three time Giro d'Italia stage winner and a King of the Mountains winner at the Giro back in 2019, Ciccone is a proven force at the Corsa Rosa. With the aforementioned successes in the Alps and in Liege, plus having been best of the rest behind Tadej Pogacar at the UAE Tour earlier this year, can Ciccone improve on his best ever Grand Tour GC finish of 11th at the Tour de France in 2024?
Read also
claps 1visitors 1
Just in
Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter today!
May 12, 11:09
0
Popular news
Latest comments
- Maria. I think riders will attack on the downhill sometimes. It’s up to every rider to descend within their limits. Some riders are more skilled descenders. Others have different risk tolerance. Tadej followed so clearly he believed the risk was worth it to stay with his rivals. And yes, racing downhill is dangerous.mobk14-06-2025
- Dangerous moves win races sometimes.awp14-06-2025
- That is not what the Wisma riders like Sep Kuss say. If you look at the average speed of the downturn it was normal for a route like that. The french rider Roman Bardet in front drove 1 minut faster downhill that the Wisma Team. It is the individual riders choice and responsibility not to drive faster than what he considers safe. Thus stop whining Maria.Jakob14-06-2025
- Yes time will tell. Jonas's training is scheduled so he is believed to peak late in the Tour - but I guess that goes for Tadej too. Jonas needs steeper and longer mountains to be at his best. The Tour de France will be more exiting than everJakob14-06-2025
- No, that's no the point, the movement was dangerous, for tadej AND for Visma riders. Do you think that is ok? DSs Visma have to maintain cold blood and not try to win risking riders safety.
maria2024202414-06-2025 - If he follows what he considers a dangerous move then it’s not Visma putting him in danger it’s him deciding that the danger is worth it.mobk14-06-2025
- Kind of an insult to the current stars.Mistermaumau14-06-2025
- I couldn't watch the race, but I listen to Tadej saying that Visma put him in danger by descending, so sad... I hope VISMA doesn't despair and try to win with dangerous moves. Cycling is already dangerous enough.maria2024202414-06-2025
- This is professional bike race, they're paid to winZamorano14-06-2025
- I still don't discount Jonas being able to podium for the Tour, he is improving, he hasn't raced since last March I believe, he will good for the Tour but probably not good enough to beat Tadej. Time will tell.awp14-06-2025