The day after he gave Israel-Premier Tech its first-ever Grand Tour classification title, Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale announced that the Vuelta a España’s white jersey winner Matthew Riccitello will join them in 2026 for three years.
It took Riccitello two weeks to run down and overtake Giulio Pellizzari for the white jersey. Photo: Sirotti
With Derek Gee’s announcement that he’s leaving the team and Michael Woods’ imminent retirement, beleaguered Israel-Premier Tech is fresh out of stage race aces, Alexey Lutsenko having underwhelmed in his first season removed from Astana. On the other hand, Riccitello’s 2026 Decathlon-CMA-CGM squad will also have Felix Gall, fifth in the Tour de France and eighth in the Vuelta.
Riccitello joined Israel-Premier Tech as a stagiaire in 2022. Starting the next year, he took on one Grand Tour a season, getting better each year. He won the 2.1-rated Sibiu Cycling Tour in Romania this year with a stage victory.
Riccitello, Sepp Kuss, Matteo Jorgenson and Kevin Vermaerke made up the four Americans in the Vuelta’s top 20. No other nation could boast a quartet in the top 20, let along a trio in the top 10.
Among Decathlon-CMA-CGM’s other new chaps for 2026 will be Olav Kooij, Tiesj Benoot and Daan Hoole.