Giulio Ciccone
Giulio Ciccone, born 20 December 1994 in Chieti (Italy), is one of the most spirited Italian climbers of his generation and a long-serving leader at Lidl-Trek. Raised in the mountainous Abruzzo region, he made his name as a relentless attacker who thrives on the steepest gradients. He has won stages at all three Grand Tours, claimed the King of the Mountains classification at the 2023 Tour de France, and added the prestigious Donostia San Sebastián Klasikoa to his palmarès. In 2026 he finally pulled on the maglia rosa at the Giro d'Italia, a long-awaited moment in his home race. Equally comfortable hunting stage wins or riding for the general classification, Ciccone remains one of the peloton's most aggressive and popular figures. Find Giulio Ciccone's latest news, results, stats and race program on this page.
Biography of pro cyclist Giulio Ciccone
Giulio Ciccone is an Italian climbing specialist who has built a career on bold, attacking racing in the high mountains. Over a decade at the top level he has evolved from a precocious stage hunter into a dependable Grand Tour contender and one of Italy's most recognisable riders.
What sets him apart is his willingness to race on the front foot. Whether chasing a breakaway victory, defending a mountains jersey or supporting a team leader, Ciccone races with an intensity that has made him a fan favourite and a cornerstone of the Lidl-Trek project.
Early life and rise in Italy
Ciccone was born in Chieti and grew up in Abruzzo, a rugged, mountainous corner of central Italy that proved the perfect training ground for a future climber. His father was a keen cyclist, and Giulio took up the sport as a young boy, drawn to the long climbs that surrounded his home.
He progressed through the Italian amateur ranks before turning professional in 2016 with the Italian Professional Continental team Bardiani–CSF. The step up came almost immediately: as a neo-pro he was named in the start list for the 2016 Giro d'Italia and won stage 10, announcing himself as a talent to watch.
Grand Tour breakthroughs and the maglia rosa
Ciccone's reputation grew through a series of bold Grand Tour rides. At the 2019 Giro d'Italia he took a memorable mountain stage win and wore the mountains jersey, before transferring that form to the Tour de France, where he briefly held the yellow jersey after the stage to La Planche des Belles Filles, leading the race for two days.
His standout season came in 2023, when he won the King of the Mountains classification at the Tour de France, one of the sport's most coveted secondary prizes. He has since added further Grand Tour stage wins and a strong overall ride at the 2025 Giro d'Italia, where he finished inside the top 10. In 2026 he achieved a long-cherished ambition, wearing the maglia rosa for the first time after a podium finish on stage 4 of the Giro d'Italia.
Rider profile: strengths, style, and characteristics
Ciccone is a pure climber with an explosive, attacking style. He is at his best on long, steep mountain passes, where his ability to accelerate repeatedly makes him dangerous both in breakaways and in the general-classification battle. He is a strong descender and an aggressive racer who rarely settles for following wheels.
His versatility is a key asset: he can target the mountains classification, hunt for stage wins, or ride a full GC campaign, and he is equally valuable as a mountain helper for team leaders. That adaptability has made him central to Lidl-Trek's Grand Tour plans.
Personal life
A proud Abruzzese, Ciccone has remained closely tied to his roots in central Italy throughout his career. Known for his warmth and emotion on the bike, he is one of the more demonstrative riders in the peloton, often visibly moved by his biggest results. His passion for the sport, inherited from his cycling-mad father, remains a defining part of his story.
Records and milestones
- King of the Mountains classification, Tour de France 2023
- Multiple Grand Tour stage wins (Giro d'Italia and Tour de France)
- Stage 10 winner, Giro d'Italia 2016 (as a neo-professional)
- Mountain stage win and mountains jersey, Giro d'Italia 2019
- Wore the yellow jersey at the 2019 Tour de France
- Winner, Donostia San Sebastián Klasikoa
- Wore the maglia rosa for the first time at the 2026 Giro d'Italia
- Top-10 overall finish, Giro d'Italia 2025
What's next for Giulio Ciccone?
Now an experienced leader, Ciccone continues to balance Grand Tour ambitions with his trademark stage-hunting. With Lidl-Trek reportedly building parts of its season around him, including a GC role at the Vuelta a España, he remains a genuine threat in the mountains of every major race, and a rider capable of lighting up any Grand Tour he starts.
