Matthew Riccitello
Matthew Riccitello, born 5 March 2002, is an American climber widely tipped as one of his country's brightest Grand Tour prospects, riding for the WorldTeam Decathlon CMA CGM. After building his reputation with Israel-Premier Tech, he produced a breakout 2025 season, finishing fifth overall at the Vuelta a España and winning the white jersey as best young rider. A pure climber with a strong engine for stage races, he has backed that up with an overall win at the Sibiu Cycling Tour and top results at the Tour de Suisse and UAE Tour. Still only in his early twenties, he moved to a major French super-team for 2026 to chase the next stage of his Grand Tour ambitions. Find Matthew Riccitello's latest results, stats and race calendar on this page.
Biography of pro cyclist Matthew Riccitello
Matthew Riccitello is at the forefront of a new wave of American Grand Tour talent. A lightweight, gifted climber, he has risen quickly through the professional ranks on the strength of his performances in the high mountains of the sport's biggest races.
His trajectory points clearly upward, and his fifth place at the 2025 Vuelta a España marked him out as a genuine contender for Grand Tour podiums in the years to come.
Early life and rise
Born in 2002, Riccitello came up through the American development scene, where his climbing talent quickly drew attention. He turned professional with Israel-Premier Tech, the team that gave him his platform in the WorldTour and where he developed into one of the most promising young climbers in the bunch.
His early seasons showed steady progression, with strong showings in mountainous stage races that hinted at a rider built for three-week events.
Vuelta breakthrough and stage-race wins
Riccitello's defining result came at the 2025 Vuelta a España, where he finished fifth overall and won the white jersey as the race's best young rider, a major statement of his Grand Tour potential against an elite field. The performance confirmed the promise he had shown a year earlier, when he finished fifth overall at the 2024 Tour de Suisse and impressed at the UAE Tour.
He has also proved he can win, taking the overall title at the Sibiu Cycling Tour in Romania along with a stage, demonstrating that his climbing ability translates into outright victories as well as high placings.
Rider profile: strengths, style, and characteristics
Riccitello is a pure climber, at his best when the road tilts upward over long, sustained ascents. His strength lies in consistency across the mountains of a Grand Tour rather than explosive one-off attacks, which makes him well suited to general classification racing. As his time trialling and experience develop, his ceiling as a three-week contender looks high.
Personal life
Riccitello is part of a growing group of North American riders raising the profile of US cycling on the world stage. He came to the sport after earlier sporting interests, and off the bike keeps a measured public profile, with his focus firmly on his development as a Grand Tour rider.
Records and milestones
- 5th overall and best young rider (white jersey), Vuelta a España (2025)
- Overall winner and stage win, Sibiu Cycling Tour
- 5th overall, Tour de Suisse (2024)
- Strong results at the UAE Tour
What's next for Matthew Riccitello?
Having moved to Decathlon CMA CGM for 2026 to join an ambitious, international roster, Riccitello's path is set towards Grand Tour leadership. The clear goal is to convert his top-five Vuelta form into podium contention at the sport's three-week races, and at his age he has the time and talent to get there.
