Matthew Riccitello rode the race of his life on the penultimate stage of the Vuelta a España – and was rewarded with the white jersey for best young rider.
On Friday, the American was second in the competition, just under a minute behind Giulio Pellizzari of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe.
The pain in Spain
But the absolutely brutal Bola del Mundo had other plans. Stage 20 finished atop the fearsome Bola del Mundo, a 22-kilometre ascent that averaged around 6 per cent but saved its sting for the end. The final 3 km rose at a punishing 11–12 per cent on rough concrete, with ramps pitching over 20 per cent, making it a brutal finale that decided the Vuelta a España.
Israel – Premier Tech modifies jersey for Vuelta amid protests
Vingegaard showed who is boss, moving ahead in the maillot rojo and essentially winning the Vuelta with just the final Madrid stage remaining. Meanwhile, the 23-year-old American rode his heart out and stayed with the winning selection as long as possible, as Pellizzari faltered.
A round of applause for the new white jersey in @LaVuelta ⚪️ 👏
🇪🇸 #LaVuelta25 #YallaIPT #FactorRacing pic.twitter.com/p4LeBQKP5O
— Israel – Premier Tech (@IsraelPremTech) September 13, 2025
Riccitello finished 6th, 24 seconds behind the Dane. Pellizzari would finish almost 3 minutes behind. Despite the team, which is run by Israeli-Canadian Sylvan Adams, having former Tour de France winner Chris Froome, it’s never had a jersey from a Grand Tour. Derek Gee – who has finished 4th at the Giro d’Italia and 9th at the Tour de France – is/was a prime candidate, but it is unclear if he is even riding for the team anymore.
He sent a letter of termination to the team on Aug. 9. The team said he is still under contract. The dispute adds to the ongoing debacle with the ProTeam amid multiple protests during the Israel-Hamas conflict. Although the team is not officially aligned with the State of Israel, many have called to withdraw from La Vuelta a España, and the WorldTour races in Canada.
Derek Gee breaks silence on Israel – Premier Tech saga
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