Pidcock and Ciccone united at Pinarello Q36.5, leaving the door open at Lidl-Trek for Ganna

Earlier reports had already put Ciccone close to the Swiss team, and Het Laatste Nieuws (reported by WielerFlits) now says the deal is done. However, official confirmation of the transfer is still awaited. In September, it was reported that Ciccone is expected to sign a three year contract with the Swiss team, keeping him there until the end of 2029.

The move is a surprise because the 31-year-old signed an improved contract with his current German employer last winter, keeping him there until the end of 2029. It ends a long stay at Trek, which began in 2019.

Tthe turning point came when longtime team manager Luca Guercilena unexpectedly left. Since then, Ciccone has reportedly been having doubts about staying longer with the team, which is now under the guidance of Andy Schleck. Tudor had also shown interest in the climber, but Pinarello-Q36.5 won out.

For Pinarello-Q36.5, this is a statement signing. Ciccone's record includes the mountains classification at the Giro in 2019 and 2026, the polka-dot jersey at the Tour de France in 2023, and he finished as runner-up at the European Championships last Sunday. The pairing with Pidcock presents exciting opportunities for the Ardennes Classics as well as the mountain stages of Grand Tours.

That raises the obvious question of who gets to lead. Until now, Pidcock has been the team's undisputed leader. With a proven Grand Tour mountains specialist alongside him, Pinarello-Q36.5 would have two cards to play on the steepest days, and in the hilly classics both riders can win from a small group.

The Swiss ProTeam is looking to gain WorldTour status at the end of the 2026-2028 UCI license cycle. Ethan Hayter is the team's ninth incoming rider for 2027, joining Mauro Schmid, Andrew August and Pavel Bittner.

At Lidl-Trek, Ciccone's exit solves a numbers problem. In a busy transfer window, the team has been busy reshaping its roster. We reported last week that the German team is allegedly pursuing the services of another Italian star, Filippo Ganna, but initially had too many riders under contract for 2027.

With Max Walscheid and Jacopo Mosca leaving and Ciccone moving on, the team now has 29 riders signed for next season. That count includes Søren Kragh Andersen: according to the same report, he has quietly extended his contract, but the team still needs to communicate this. That leaves one spot open.

The Ganna deal is not done yet, but HLN says the "negotiations are heading in the right direction". When asked about it, Ganna himself stayed noncommittal.

Before any of this happens, Pidcock and Ciccone will face each other at Il Lombardia on Saturday, quite possibly for the last time as rivals. Both are among the contenders. Pidcock finished sixth on his Lombardia debut in 2025 and comes in after second places at the Giro dell'Emilia and Tre Valli Varesine. Ciccone has a strong Lombardia record, including third place in 2024.