Seixas loses key mountain domestique in Dauphiné opener
During the opening 146.2km stage from Vizille to Saint-Ismier, Matthew Riccitello was forced to abandon the race due to illness.
Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM) has abandoned the Critérium du Dauphiné (Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) on the opening stage, marking an early blow for Paul Seixas (Decathlon CMA CGM) and the French team.
“Feeling sick last night, Matthew Riccitello had to leave the race early. Get well soon, Matthew,” confirmed Decathlon CMA CGM on social media.
Riccitello signed for the French team after a strong 2025 campaign, which included finishing fifth at the Vuelta a España and winning the youth classification.
The talented 24-year-old American climber has quickly become one of Seixas’s most trusted allies in the mountains.
Earlier this year, Riccitello won a stage and the GC at the Tour de la Provence, before making a rapid trip to Portugal for the Volta ao Algarve.
There he finished sixth overall while supporting Seixas to a stage win and second overall behind Juan Ayuso (Lidl-Trek). Riccitello also played a key role in Seixas’s Itzulia Basque Country triumph, where the Frenchman dominated the GC and took three stage wins along the way.
Riccitello’s last outing before the Dauphiné was the Tour de Jura Cycliste on April 18, where he soloed to victory.
Seixas will be among those battling it out for the yellow jersey over eight stages taking place from June 7-14, having finished eighth in 2025.
Léo Biseaux, Stefan Bissegger, Daan Hoole, Aurélien Paret-Peintre and Nicolas Prodhomme make up the rest of Decathlon's Dauphiné line-up.
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