Matthew Riccitello takes the white jersey and climbs to fifth place overall in Vuelta a España
# Matthew Riccitello Shines at Vuelta a España, Climbs to Fifth and Secures White Jersey
Matthew Riccitello delivered an outstanding performance on the challenging ascent of Bola del Mundo, securing both the white jersey for the best young rider and climbing to fifth place in the General Classification (GC) of this year’s Vuelta a España.
“Today, everything went kind of perfectly,” Riccitello remarked, reflecting on his achievement. “I went into this stage with nothing to lose. Of course, the white jersey was a goal, but I also knew that it had already been a good race, no matter what happened today. I’m just really happy with my legs today!”
Beginning stage 20 in sixth place overall and second in the young rider classification, Riccitello was 58 seconds behind Giulio Pellizzari of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. Despite the odds, the 23-year-old American climber showed unwavering resolve, determined to maximize his effort on the steep climb.
His strategy paid off; Riccitello crossed the finish line a remarkable 2:26 minutes ahead of Pellizzari. “It was a really hard day all day, which I think suited me well,” he noted. “Pellizzari has been super strong all race long, but everything went perfectly for me today. All I had to do was follow the wheels and hang on as long as I could.”
The steep gradients posed a significant challenge, leaving Riccitello feeling the strain in the final kilometers. “It was really tough, though. When it’s that steep, it’s hard to enjoy because you just have to go as hard as you can to get up it. I definitely suffered a lot in the last couple of kilometers, but once you cross the finish line you forget all about the suffering from the last few weeks. To finish in the white jersey, I think overall it couldn’t have gone any better today, so I’m really happy,” he concluded.
As the Vuelta a España approaches its final stage in Madrid on Sunday, the team, including Ethan Vernon, looks forward to one last chance at a stage victory.
