Matthew Riccitello "will be able to do some pretty good results in the not too distant future on some big mountains" - USA's new climbing talent

While Matthew Riccitello may be considered a fledgling in the sport of cycling, his impressive skills and natural talent have already caught the attention of his team, who believe that he is well on his way to becoming a GC rider.

“He’s just a great bike rider,” sports director Sam Bewley told Cyclingweekly. “His physical abilities are so good that he will be able to do some pretty good results in the not too distant future on some big mountains.”

He further adds, “He's a pure climber. And being a pure climber is one of the very important aspects of becoming a GC rider in the future. But first and foremost he’s just focused on doing really fast climbs and getting up mountains fast, and then the rest of the puzzle will come into place in the next couple of years. He’ll be a GC rider in the future for sure.”

The American rider's thirst for knowledge extends beyond his own abilities, as he actively seeks to glean wisdom from his more experienced teammates, “He’s quiet but he’s always listening to everybody, taking advice really well and learning really quickly. With that attitude he’s going to be a good bike rider very, very soon,” concluded Bewley.