It was announced that Giulio Ciccone has extended his contract with Trek Segafredo through the end of the 2027 season.

The move comes after the Italian had the best start to a season in his eight-year professional career. The 28-year-old took stage wins at the Volta a Valenciana, Volta a Catalunya, and last week's Criterium du Dauphiné, and finished in the top 10 at the Catalunya, Tirreno Adriatico, and La Fresh Wallonne.

Ciccone unfortunately developed COVID-19 at the Giro d'Italia in May and missed leading the team, but will lead Lidl-Trek in the Tour de France next month.

He has been with the team since moving from Bardiani-CSF for the 2019 season, winning Giro d'Italia stages in Trek colors Ponte di Regno and Cogne. Ciccone said he "couldn't be happier" about extending his tenure with the team to nine years.

"The desire to extend my contract until 2027 is not just a professional choice, it is a life choice. I have decided to spend the best years of my career with this team, this group, and this family. My relationship with Trek has spanned nine years and I couldn't be happier," Ciccone said in a team press release.

"A unique relationship has developed between me and the team; from 2019 to now we have built a bond of trust that is now bearing wonderful fruit. It has not always been this way, and there have been difficult times leading up to the present. But there has never been a lack of mutual trust

"It has always helped me to push myself and get out of the most complicated moments of my life as a rider."

At the Tour de France, Ciccone will be joined by climbers Matthias Skjelmors and Bauke Mollema and sprinter Mads Pedersen, but the Lidl-Trek team has not yet been confirmed.

He led the peloton on stage 6 of the Dauphiné, finishing fourth, and won the final stage, La Bastille, with a 20 km solo ride.

Luca Guercilena, the team's general manager, called Ciccone a "unique talent" in the sport and suggested that the team would focus on him in the future.

"We believed in Giulio from the first moment. He is a pure talent and his extravagant approach to cycling makes him a unique figure in the sport." He has competition in his DNA, loves to win, and puts on a show in any race.

"Julio is a charming rider and a bit old-fashioned. Now it's time for him to mature. We have big goals for the future. We are going to give him our best support and do whatever it takes to bring out all of his talent."