"I want to finish on the podium of one in the next couple of years" - Matthew Riccitello ready to make a name for himself in 2025

At 23 years old, Matthew Riccitello is quickly making a name for himself in the professional peloton. The Israel - Premier Tech rider, who finished 30th in his Grand Tour debut at the 2024 Vuelta a España, recently spoke with Rouleur about his journey so far, his development as a rider, and his ambitions for the future.

Cycling wasn’t the only sport Riccitello pursued in his youth, but it quickly became his passion. "Growing up, I was always around sport, and the Tour de France was always on TV in the summer. I did a bunch of sports when I was younger: basketball, running, swimming. I started cycling when I was 13 or 14. Straight away, I liked it more than anything else. I progressed fast," he recalled.

While he excelled in most endurance sports, it was the sense of freedom and exploration that drew him to cycling. "I liked that I could be outside for longer, and I could see a lot more than running or swimming in a pool just staring at that black line at the bottom of the pool."

Riccitello comes from an athletic background, as the son of former professional triathlete and XTerra World Champion Jimmy Riccitello. However, his father never pushed him into cycling. "My dad didn’t push me to start cycling at all. It's probably the last of the three sports that he wanted me to do, because it has the most risk. But it definitely helped having him to ride with, and he was around a lot of cyclists," Riccitello explained. "It made it easy to learn the ins and outs of bikes, what to pack, and what to expect when going to races."

Riccitello is part of a steady group of talent coming out of America right now, a country that has been desperately searching for talent in the peloton for several years now. Could Riccitello be on the shining lights?

Despite his steady progression, Riccitello never took success for granted. "I knew I could make it pro, but I was always aware that there was a chance it wouldn’t happen, so I tried to keep a big focus in school and other things," he said. "Nowadays, younger riders see others doing well right away, and that puts pressure on them. I don’t know how healthy that is. A lot of the juniors I rode with went to online high school, but I stayed in normal school, which forced me to train after classes. That was tough, but it made it better when I finally got to train full-time as my job."

His approach to gradual development also extended to the teams he rode for, particularly during his junior years with LUX Cycling, an American development team. "They were good at finding a balance between trying to give us instruction and guidance, but also letting us try to figure out a lot on our own. They placed a pretty big emphasis on having fun off the bike."

While some top juniors go straight to the professional ranks, Riccitello believes his time racing at under-23 level helped him transition smoothly. "I really enjoy cycling, so if I can extend my career as opposed to shorten it, that’s good. I also wanted to have a crack at under-23 races like the Baby Giro and Tour de l’Avenir," he said. "If you're a junior and you go straight to a pro team, some juniors find it hard those first years just getting along with their teammates, because they don't know how to interact with them. There are different maturity levels, and that can be a bigger thing than the physical side. I think that’s where under-23 teams come in."

His performances in 2023 and 2024 have already confirmed his potential, giving him confidence that he belongs at the highest level. "I always believed that I had the physical talent to be up there on the climbs, but seeing your name on results sheets gives you a bit more of a confidence boost. My results in the Giro and Suisse were confirmation I could be up there with those guys," he reflected.

Despite his success, Riccitello remains grounded, knowing that he still has plenty of room to improve. "I didn’t put any pressure on myself to do things this early, but I did think it was possible. I still have a lot of areas I can improve as a rider, and that is what excites me the most. I’m a late developer physically, so while those results are nice, I’m taking things as they come at the moment."

Among the areas he hopes to refine is his race efficiency, particularly in long stage races. "Every day in a stage race, there's a lot of stress and nervousness. I can often spend too much energy getting to the climb, for example, so I can learn to be more economical and how to ride in a place where I’m protected. Also, as I keep getting older and developing more, the engine will get bigger, and I’ll progress physically each year."

That dedication to improvement is what fuels his ambitions, and he remains fully committed to chasing his biggest goals. "If I hear something like that, it definitely gives me more motivation and excitement versus anything else. It's something I think is definitely, I believe, achievable, and it’s what makes me love training so much every day."

Looking ahead, Riccitello has clear targets for the 2025 season, particularly at the Vuelta a España, where he hopes to continue progressing. "I want to go to the Vuelta and try not to have any bad days. I want to be consistent and be where I need to be, and then the outcome will be good."

His ultimate dream, however, extends beyond simply competing in Grand Tours, he wants to fight for the biggest prizes in the sport. "Long term, the Grand Tours are what excite me most in the sport, and I want to finish on the podium of one in the next couple of years. That’s my goal."