Quinn Simmons' suspension by the Trek Segafredo team was lifted and off-season training began.

Simmons was suspended at the end of September for social media posts that were deemed "divisive, inflammatory, and harmful" by his team, including the use of an emoji with black skin color. He was suspended "until further notice," and said the team, along with its sponsors, will "decide how to move forward."

Simmons and Guercilena acknowledged to Cycling News that the matter has been resolved and that both are looking ahead to next season.

According to Guercilena, the team made its position on the matter clear to Simmons, but "no further action was taken." Further media training will take place during the team's first off-season training camp, which usually takes place in December.

"The situation has been resolved," Guercilena said, confirming that "Quinn will attend the team's camp and start the season as normal."

"We are looking ahead to next season and are focused on racing Quinn as one of our top talented riders so that he can perform at a higher level in 2021," he added.

Simmons did not wish to comment on the matter when contacted by Cycling News.

The 19-year-old, who won the junior road race at the Yorkshire World Championships this year and jumped straight into the World Tour, is now preparing for 2021. 'The eating season is over. Time to get back to work," he wrote in a social media post on Instagram last week, with the hashtag #roadtoroubaix, indicating that Paris-Roubaix will be a major target.

The race was cancelled this year due to a coronavirus outbreak, but Simmons' suspension shortly after completing Flèche Wallonne meant he missed the rest of what would have been his debut race in the cobbled classic.

Simmons also posted a video of herself in the gym with the caption "Starting over from scratch, fitness is so far away" and has since moved from her home in Durango, Colorado to California to ramp up her training.

Simmons was suspended by cycling journalist and commentator José Bean in response to a post about the upcoming US election in which he asked Donald Trump supporters to stop following him on Twitter. The American wrote "Bye-bye," followed by an emoji of a black skin-colored hand waving.

The use of black emojis by whites online has been repeatedly singled out as racist, with the term "digital blackface (open in new tab)" coined.

Trek Segafredo announced Simmons' suspension for "conduct unbecoming a Trek athlete," and the athlete himself apologized the next day.

"To those who felt that the color of the emoji was racist, I assure you that I did not intend for it to be interpreted that way. I am strongly opposed to racism in any form and would like to apologize to all who found this offensive," he said in his formal apology. 'To those who disagree with me politically, that's fine. I will not hate you for it. I only ask you to do the same."

At the time, on the eve of the Giro d'Italia, Guercilena told reporters at the race site: "Even if there are no excuses, we must remember that this is a decision and a statement by a 19-year-old boy. We feel that we need to reflect carefully on the decisions we need to take. Together with the company that owns the team, we will decide what to do going forward."

In its initial statement, the team said it would "keep fans and the public informed of the decisions made in this matter," but so far it has yet to issue a public statement on the agreed-upon solution.