{"id":1779205,"date":"2026-02-17T03:55:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-17T00:55:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1779205"},"modified":"2026-02-17T03:55:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T00:55:12","slug":"this-pure-climber-could-be-americas-next-tour-de-france-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1779205","title":{"rendered":"This Pure Climber Could Be America\u2019s Next Tour de France Star"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/RiccitelloFINAL.jpg”]<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/p>\n
Andrew Hood<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

Updated February 17, 2026 04:04AM<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Rising American prospect Matthew Riccitello wasted no time putting victories on the board in his season debut after his high-profile, career-shifting transfer to Decathlon CMA CGM.<\/p>\n

\n

On the wet, sloppy slopes of Montagne de Lure in snowbound Provence, he put the sword to Tour de France stage winner Carlos Rodr\u00edguez to win the stage and sealed his second career GC title the next day.<\/p>\n

At just 23, his sharpened confidence reveals the next phase in Riccitello\u2019s steady rise is already here.<\/p>\n

Following his breakout Vuelta a Espa\u00f1a in 2025, with fifth overall and the white jersey, he is no longer a promising climber finding his footing.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s now at the center of a major WorldTour team\u2019s plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cRacing with the best guys last year at the Vuelta gave me a lot of confidence,\u201d Riccitello told Velo<\/em>. \u201cI still feel quite young physically, so hopefully I have room to mature and grow both as a person and as a bike rider. It\u2019s all about progression and momentum.\u201d<\/p>\n

Entering his fourth year in the pros, it\u2019s been all that and more for Riccitello.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Last year\u2019s Vuelta result also placed him in elite company in U.S. cycling history.<\/p>\n

Only Greg LeMond, Andy Hampsten, and Tejay Van Garderen have claimed white jerseys in elite men\u2019s grand tour racing.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for America\u2019s newest rising star? Velo<\/em> caught up with Riccitello in an exclusive interview.<\/p>\n

Chasing American racing history<\/h2>\n
\"Carlos
Riccitello nips Rodr\u00edguez to win stage 2 of the Tour de la Provence. (Photo: Billy Ceusters\/Getty Images) <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Riccitello is too modest to say it out loud, but he wants to win a grand tour.<\/p>\n

Last year, he was bumping shoulders with Jonas Vingegaard and Jo\u00e3o Almeida, and held steady across a controversial and chaotic Vuelta that saw his then-team Israel-Premier Tech at the eye of a political hurricane.<\/p>\n

That he could block that out and focus on racing confirms his maturity beyond his age.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m really happy with how the Vuelta went,\u201d Riccitello told Velo<\/em>. \u201cI tried to stay focused on the racing. This year, I want to take all the positives and all the negatives from that race and keep building for the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the short term, a podium is the logical target as Decathlon rebuilds around a new generation that puts Riccitello at the center of the team\u2019s GC plans alongside rising French star Paul Seixas and Johannes Staune-Mittet.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI\u2019d say it\u2019s attainable,\u201d Riccitello said of a future grand tour podium. \u201cBefore the Vuelta, I would have said that would have been a bit of a stretch. But there were some days at the Vuelta where I felt like I was right there with the top guys.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey [top GC winners] have definitely got a step above me, but I think I can try to close that gap as I mature and get older, and keep learning from the races.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s heady stuff, and Riccitello is taking it with a calm beyond his years.<\/p>\n

Turning 24 next month, Riccitello\u2019s Vuelta bolted him into elite company among elite men\u2019s racing.<\/p>\n

A top 5 finish in a men\u2019s grand tour remains a rare milestone for Americans racing in Europe. Riccitello became only the 10th to reach it (see chart below<\/i>).<\/p>\n

For 2026, Riccitello wants to keep pushing the accelerator.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe most important thing this year is continued momentum and progression. It would be nice to put my hands in the air one or twice this year,\u201d he said\u00a0in a call last week.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t say I have one specific goal in mind, just in general, keep getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Big move to Decathlon<\/h2>\n
\"Riccitello
Riccitello, shown here in December, is quickly settling in. <\/span> (Photo: P. Ballet-A. Broadway\/Special to Velo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

His departure from IPT (now NSN Cycling) to the French super squad Decathlon is a huge next step in his career.<\/p>\n

Now he\u2019s firmly in the WorldTour, and he will be one of the designated GC leaders at select races on a three-year deal.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the first time I\u2019ve changed teams, so it\u2019s interesting to be a part of a new team, a new project, meet new staff, have new teammates,\u201d Riccitello said. \u201cIt\u2019s all exciting and good for me right now in my career.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why Decathlon? He had other suitors, and the climbing prodigy was attracting attention, but by the time he hit out at the Vuelta, the deal with Decathlon was already done.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cLast year, I was in the process of talking to different teams and looking at my options, and Decathlon was very ambitious. I liked where they saw me and where they saw themselves as a team in the next few years,\u201d he said. \u201cMy goals and the team\u2019s goals aligned perfectly. That\u2019s what really drew me to the team.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n

Le g\u00e9n\u00e9ral final du Tour de la Provence : Matthew Riccitello est donc sacr\u00e9 pour sa 1re course avec Decathlon-CMA CGM ! L\u2019Am\u00e9ricain (23 ans) devance Carlos Rodriguez, qui n\u2019\u00e9tait plus apparu en comp\u00e9tition depuis son abandon sur le Tour de France, et Brandon Rivera. #TDLP2026 pic.twitter.com\/HwnvTrgVfm<\/p>\n

\u2014 Le Gruppetto (@LeGruppetto) February 15, 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

What are those converging goals? For Riccitello, it\u2019s the progression in grand tours. For the reinvigorated squad, it\u2019s about edging into the conversation in all the major races across the WorldTour calendar.<\/p>\n

The team is doubling down. With new sponsors, revamped backroom staff, and an explicit aim to crack the top five in the WorldTour hierarchy, Decathlon is investing heavily in the super team era.<\/p>\n

Now owned outright by the global, family-run retailer and bolstered by the arrival of partner CMA CGM, the budget is pushing north of \u20ac40 million to target grand tour and monument success.<\/p>\n

Riccitello said no single staffer tipped the balance, though he did seek insight from Larry Warbasse, who previously raced with the team before moving to Tudor Pro Cycling.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cLarry had great things to say,\u201d he said. \u201cThe team now is really international. We all speak English around the dinner table, but I am trying to improve my French. It\u2019s definitely got to have a strong French base, but it feels like it\u2019s growing a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

The deal runs through 2029. He also brought across his personal coach Marc Quod, a veteran of Jayco-AlUla and Israel-Premier Tech, ensuring continuity as expectations rise.<\/p>\n

Everything is now in place.<\/p>\n

From Arizona to the Cote d\u2019Azur<\/h2>\n
\"Riccitello
Riccitello is already at the center of plans for Decathlon in 2026.<\/span> (Photo: P. Ballet-A. Broadway\/Special to Velo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Riccitello is a long way from Tucson, Arizona, also the home of Brandon McNulty, where he grew up and still calls home.<\/p>\n

His father, Jimmy Riccitello, was a highly accomplished professional triathlete, an XTerra world champion who broke nine minutes at Ironman Hawaii a generation ago.<\/p>\n

Endurance sport was part of his upbringing, even if cycling was not his first choice. He did not start racing bikes until he was 14, late by European standards.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI got into it a bit later than normally, and my dad was a professional triathlete, so I grew up around the sport. The Tour de France was always on TV in the summer, so that was definitely my first exposure to racing,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen I was 14, I decided I wanted to start racing bikes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Key mentors accelerated the process. First his father, then Roy Knickman at LUX Cycling \u2014 the junior team that developed such WorldTour talent as Kevin Vermaerke, Quinn Simmons and Luke Lamperti \u2014 and later Axel Merckx at Hagens Berman Axeon.<\/p>\n

Riccitello got noticed early, but he also delivered on results.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoy noticed me in some junior races, and he sent me an email, and that helped me get over to Europe with the U.S. national team,\u201d he said. \u201cIt was a pretty straightforward pathway to get over to Europe and race in the U23 races and get noticed by some of the pro teams.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he turned pro with Israel-Premier Tech in 2023, he made a deliberate choice about where to base himself. He purposely avoided the cycling hotbed of Girona, Spain, where many of the Anglo riders have settled over the decades, and instead chose France\u2019s C\u00f4te d\u2019Azur.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a good group of riders around Nice. Everyone is a little more spread out compared to Girona. Like we\u2019re all close, we all can ride together, but it\u2019s not like everybody stacked on top of each other,\u201d he said of his French base.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like the riding much better in Nice than in Girona. There\u2019s more climbing in Nice, the weather\u2019s good, and it doesn\u2019t feel like a bubble like in Girona.\u201d<\/p>\n

The famed Col de la Madone is his favorite local climb, where he often crosses paths with world No. 1 Tadej Poga\u010dar, who lives in nearby Monaco.<\/p>\n

Grand tour dreaming<\/h2>\n
\"Riccitello
Riccitello is putting a return to the Vuelta at the center of his ambitions, but the Tour de France is not completely off the table. <\/span> (Photo: B. Ballet-A.Broadway\/Special to Velo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

So is he a GC rider who can climb, or a pure climber who can punch high on GC?<\/p>\n

At 5-foot-6 and 121 pounds, the answer is obvious.<\/p>\n

\u201cDefinitely, climbing is my strength,\u201d he said. \u201cAlso, resiliency and just being able to be good two weeks into a race is another strength, so I think those are the reasons why I feel best in the grand tours.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

At last year\u2019s Vuelta, he was hanging in the top 15 until a massive ride up the fearsome Angliru punched him into the top 10. His battle for the white jersey against Giulio Pellizzari went to the wire when he cracked the Italian on the Bola del Mundo on the penultimate stage.<\/p>\n

His featherweight build will help him on the HC summits of the Alps and Pyr\u00e9n\u00e9es, but it can be a handicap in the flats and against the clock.<\/p>\n

At last year\u2019s protest-shortened 12km time trial at the Vuelta, he lost 1 second per kilometer to Almeida, but was faster than third-place podium finisher Tom Pidcock.<\/p>\n

Ricctello admits he\u2019s putting a big emphasis on improving his TT chops if he hopes to climb up the GC hierarchy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I\u2019m never going to be the best time trialist in the world, but I feel like on this team we\u2019re going to put a big focus on it,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m hoping to minimize the losses and just keep getting better.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

After his season-opening win, he\u2019s going to keep building momentum all spring. Up next are one-week tours at the Algarve, Volta a Catalunya, and Itzulia Basque Country, followed by the Crit\u00e9rium du Dauphin\u00e9 (now Tour Auvergne-Rh\u00f4ne-Alpes)
\nin June.<\/p>\n

If he is flying, a late call-up to the Tour de France cannot be ruled out.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll kind of see after the Dauphin\u00e9,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019d say for now the Vuelta is the, is the big, big goal, the big grand tour I\u2019ll do this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

At just 23, Riccitello has already broken into rare American territory.<\/p>\n

With his climbing chops, week-three resilience, and a WorldTour team backing him, he is no longer knocking at the door. He is on the cusp of pushing it wide open.<\/p>\n

\n
ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Top 5 Americans in grand tours<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/div>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Rider<\/span><\/td>\nYear<\/span><\/td>\nGrand Tour<\/span><\/td>\nResult<\/span><\/td>\nWhite Jersey<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Greg LeMond<\/span><\/td>\n1984<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n3rd<\/span><\/td>\nBest Young Rider<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1985<\/span><\/td>\nGiro d\u2019Italia<\/span><\/td>\n3rd<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1985<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n2nd<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1986<\/span><\/td>\nGiro d\u2019Italia<\/span><\/td>\n4th<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1986<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n1st<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1989<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n1st<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1990<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n1st<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Andrew Hampsten<\/span><\/td>\n1986<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n4th<\/span><\/td>\nBest Young Rider<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1988<\/span><\/td>\nGiro d\u2019Italia<\/span><\/td>\n1st<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1989<\/span><\/td>\nGiro d\u2019Italia<\/span><\/td>\n3rd<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1992<\/span><\/td>\nGiro d\u2019Italia<\/span><\/td>\n5th<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
1992<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n4th<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Bobby Julich<\/span><\/td>\n1998<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n3rd<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Levi Leipheimer<\/span><\/td>\n2008<\/span><\/td>\nVuelta a Espa\u00f1a<\/span><\/td>\n2nd<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2009<\/span><\/td>\nGiro d\u2019Italia<\/span><\/td>\n4th<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tyler Hamilton<\/span><\/td>\n2002<\/span><\/td>\nGiro d\u2019Italia<\/span><\/td>\n2nd<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2003<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n4th<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Christian Vande Velde<\/span><\/td>\n2008<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n4th<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tejay Van Garderen<\/span><\/td>\n2012<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n5th<\/span><\/td>\nBest Young Rider<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2014<\/span><\/td>\nTour de France<\/span><\/td>\n5th<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Chris Horner<\/span><\/td>\n2013<\/span><\/td>\nVuelta a Espa\u00f1a<\/span><\/td>\n1st<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sepp Kuss<\/span><\/td>\n2023<\/span><\/td>\nVuelta a Espa\u00f1a<\/span><\/td>\n1st<\/span><\/td>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Matthew Riccitello<\/span><\/td>\n2025<\/span><\/td>\nVuelta a Espa\u00f1a<\/span><\/td>\n5th<\/span><\/td>\nBest Young Rider<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

\n
<\/p>\n
Andrew Hood<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n

Updated February 17, 2026 04:04AM<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/matthew-riccitello-americas-next-tour-de-france-star\/”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/RiccitelloFINAL.jpg”] Andrew Hood Updated February 17, 2026 04:04AM Rising American prospect Matthew Riccitello wasted no time putting victories on the board in his season debut after his high-profile, career-shifting transfer to Decathlon CMA CGM. On the wet, sloppy slopes of Montagne de Lure in snowbound Provence, he put the sword to Tour de […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,71],"class_list":["post-1779205","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-velo-outsideonline-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779205","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1779205"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1779205\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1779205"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1779205"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1779205"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}