"To be up there racing with these guys is really cool” - Matthew Riccitello continues to show big promise by matching the best on vicious stage 4 finale at La Vuelta

Israel - Premier Tech's Matthew Riccitello has been having a real breakthrough in recent months. After starring at the Tour de Suisse earlier this summer, the 22-year-old American matched the likes of Primoz Rogic and Joao Almeida on the first summit finish of the 2024 Vuelta a Espana.

“I think everyone suffered today,” explained Riccitello afterwards in conversation with the official website of the Israel - Premier Tech team. “I don’t think I’ve ever done a race or training ride in temperatures that hot. I think it was a good day. I didn’t really expect too much on the first mountain day because everyone is really fresh and I didn’t really know where I would stack up against the others. So I’m pretty happy with how it went today."

An elite group of just seven riders fought for the stage win of atop the brutally steep Pico Villuercas on stage 4. Alongside Riccitello were the aforementioned Roglic and Almeida, plus Mikel Landa, Enric Mas, Felix Gall and Lennert van Eetvelt. Esteemed company for the American prospect to be keeping.

“I attacked there in the last kilometre. It didn’t really do much, I didn’t really have the legs anyway, but I figured I would try and hopefully they would look at each other and let me ride off but that didn’t happen," Riccitello concludes his post-stage assessment. "But, there are 17 more stages to try something. Not so long ago I was sitting in Tucson watching these guys race the Tour de France so to be up there racing with these guys is really cool.”

After his impressive performances, Riccitello has now moved up to 12th overall in the general classification, 1:04 down on the Red Jersey, but arguably more realistically, just 26 seconds of the White Jersey for Best Young Rider.