"There's only one Ciccone," says an elated Lidl-Trek, dreaming of a major Giro stunt after a perfect run-up

Ciccone has always been considered a great talent in Italy, not only because he won a Giro stage for Bardiani in 2016, a stage in Utah in 2017, and the Giro dell'Appennino in 2018. At the time, Trek-Segafredo signed the Italian, and in 2019, he immediately won a stage and the mountain jersey in the Tour of Italy for the American team. He also briefly wore the yellow jersey in the following Tour de France. Italy was buzzing when he also won the Trofeo Laigueglia in early 2020. Did they really have a new stage racer after Vincenzo Nibali?

As if the devil was playing with him, Ciccone was struck back in the years that followed. He contracted COVID-19 several times, dropped out of two Giros and a Vuelta, and although he won a stage in the 2022 Giro as an attacker, his ambitions in the Grand Tours never materialized. In 2023, he missed the Giro due to COVID-19 but did bounce back by winning the mountain classification in the Tour de France. In 2024, a buttock injury dashed his Giro dreams once again.

The fact that he still won stages in the Tour of Valencia, Tour of Catalonia, Dauphiné, and, more recently, the Tour of the Alps felt like a consolation prize. The setbacks continued, even when he finished third in the Tour of Lombardy at the end of 2024 behind the 'supermen' Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel, second in the UAE Tour behind Pogacar at the beginning of this year, and second in Liège-Bastogne-Liège last Sunday behind... Pogacar. Ciccone's legs seem to have so much potential; will it finally shine through in 2025?

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"I don't want to think too much about the Giro yet because it's still a long way off," Ciccone said after his stage win on day 1 of the Tour of the Alps. "I'm taking it day by day and want to enjoy it now. The last Giro I rode was in 2022, so that's already three years ago. It's my favorite race, and it made me fall in love with cycling as a little boy. The fact that I'll be back and really competing is the most important thing for me. I just want to be at the start of the Giro one year, knowing that I've made all the right decisions and am in top form."

This sums up the long list of physical and, above all, mental setbacks that Ciccone has had to endure, to the point that even a few weeks before the Giro, he remains cautious. "There have always been problems in recent years. So, I don't want to jinx it, but if everything continues like it is now, we're on the right track. I have to stay focused, and I won't talk about my goals. I'm fine with not being mentioned among the favorites for the Giro. I'd rather not be mentioned and then surprise everyone than be considered one of the favorites in advance."

Lidl-Trek team manager Luca Guercilena shares this view. He said in the Tirreno-Adriatico in March: "I really hope he can go six months without illness or injury, then I think he can really take a big step forward. We'd like to test him in top condition in three weeks, but that will also depend on his first few months of the year. I think he's at his best for stages and the mountain jersey in the Giro, but we'll decide on our actual plans later."

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At Lidl-Trek, they'd love to pack him in bubble wrap and not let him out until May 9, when the race starts in Albania. But that's not how it works with Ciccone, Guercilena knows. "Giulio is hyperactive in a good way. He's on top of everything and is busy with lots of things. When he focuses on one or two things, he gets the most out of it. But that's also part of his personality; you shouldn't try to change that too much. We need to work on his weak points and maintain his strengths. Because he's a super funny guy who's always having fun and making jokes."

That's why everyone at Lidl-Trek would go through fire for Ciccone. "He has a positive attitude and the ability to get along with everyone. He doesn't divide people into groups; he shares his life with everyone. That's why he's so loved by the riders and the staff." Teammate Toms Skujins agrees: "He's loved because he brings good energy to the team. He's always funny on the bus and gives 100%. That's why riding for him is great; he always delivers. He's just great to have around."

Dutch rider Sam Oomen smiles when Ciccone is mentioned. "There's only one Ciccone. He's a very emotional guy, and everything he does is Italian. It's music when he talks and music in his emotions and racing style. During our altitude training camp in April, we stayed in the same apartment and spent much time together. That's when we really got to know each other, which was great fun. We're completely different types, but maybe that's why we get along so well. Initially, it's always a bit of a search, but Giulio is figuratively speaking all music."

"I've made big steps forward in recent years," says Ciccone himself. "I always try to keep the spirit in the team and enjoy the moment with my teammates and staff. That's the key: spending as much time as possible with everyone. You reap the rewards of good morale during challenging periods in the race."

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But it's not all fun and games. Ciccone is a hard worker and someone who dares to take risks. The fact that he recently came close to the world's best riders is also because he refused to give up. "It's difficult to win these days, with guys like Pogacar and Vingegaard at the start. But we want to fight, especially when we're in top condition. We do our best and believe in results. We all know those guys are strong, but that doesn't mean we must give up. We must keep pushing, and I think there are opportunities to beat them."

"When you're racing, you have to go for the win, and that's what we're working towards," says the cheerful Giulio, who also works extremely hard. "I'm still making progress every year, and we invest in training, equipment, and nutrition," he says. "My weak point has always been the time trial, which caused me to lose a top ten finish in the Tour de France last year. I've worked hard on that and when I saw my two time trials in 2025, it was already much better. That was one of the most important goals for my GC ambitions."

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Guercilena is optimistic. "He's better than ever, that's for sure. Cicco has put a lot of time into his time trial, and he's now at a good level. We don't want to change him too much; as a climber, you have to remain a climber. But the changes we made to his position and equipment have worked well. A two-minute gap in a time trial has suddenly become 30 seconds. That's a big improvement, especially for week-long stage races. He can be competitive anywhere, even though we understand everyone is looking at Pogacar and co. If Giulio really becomes a solid GC rider, we can head in that direction."

The Giro may offer an excellent opportunity because, without Pogacar, Vingegaard, and Remco Evenepoel, the podium suddenly looks like a realistic goal. "But then with the ambition to win, not for fifth or sixth place. That would make no sense; we'd rather be competitive for stage wins and the mountain classification. We believe you can only go for the GC in a Grand Tour if you can win. If he is as good and competitive as he is now and can continue to grow, he will have our full support in that regard," said Guercilena.

Bram van der Ploeg (Twitter: @BvdPloegg | email: [email protected])