"The years that they have been in the sport give them so much knowledge" - Matthew Riccitello credits Chris Froome and Domenico Pozzovivo as key figures in his development during 2023

One of the next big things in American cycling, Matthew Riccitello's continued development during the 2023 season was one of Israel - Premier Tech's highlights, including impressive showings at the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de l'Avenir.

“For me getting to do the Giro d'Italia and just experience that was great. To have some good results there as well. The Giro and Tour de l'Avenir were the two highlights I think," Riccitello recently told GCN. In particular, his performance on the Monte Lusari time-trial showed the American's potential. “I knew that that time trial was good for me. The whole Giro that time trial kept me motivated, and I struggled with sickness and the weather. Knowing that the time trial was at the end of it kept me motivated because I knew it suited me pretty well."

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That experience at the Giro was a massive learning curve for the 21-year-old. “I pride myself on not getting sick too often, but at the Giro, it seemed like 75% of the peloton was sick. I couldn't avoid it, everyone was sick," he recalls. "Being able to keep some motivation and know that I could get over those things was big. It was a great learning experience to know that I could recover and perform well towards the end of a three-week race.”

At Israel - Premier Tech, Riccitello also has a vast wealth of experienced teammates to take knowledge from. “We have a lot of experienced guys on our team. Like I've spent a lot of time with Chris Froome at altitude camps, and I raced with Domenico Pozzovivo who I did the Giro and the Tour of the Alps. The years that they have been in the sport give them so much knowledge," he explains. “Froome has probably had to deal with more outside stress than anyone in the sport. So even if they are not trying to teach you things, I've always been pretty observant and kept my ears open so being able to be around them and paying attention to how they go about managing these things has been really helpful.”

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So what is Riccitello's ceiling in Grand Tour racing? Big things are expected of the young American but in turn that brings big pressures. “I like it. I still feel that nobody puts more pressure on me than what I put on myself so I think it’s exciting having support and having people behind me," he concludes. "I am not one to get too carried away with the weight of expectations, but it’s good to have a balance between confidence and humility. My goal has always been to be a podium contender in Grand Tours, so if in five years I am in the running in the GC for those I'd be super happy.”

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