Matthew Riccitello will leave Israel-Premier Tech at the end of the season and join Decathlon CMA CGM, signing a three-year deal with the French team. The 23-year-old American climber arrives on the back of a breakthrough Vuelta a España, where he finished fifth overall and secured the best young rider’s white jersey.
“I’m very excited to be joining Decathlon CMA CGM in 2026,” Riccitello said. “I admire the team’s ambition and progress over the last few years. I want to continue to progress as a rider in stage races and Grand Tours. I’m convinced this team will push me to reach my full potential. I’m motivated to make the most of this new chapter and confident that this is the right environment to continue to grow, both as a rider and as a person.”
Photo Credit: GettyRiccitello has been part of Israel-Premier Tech since 2023, turning professional after developing with Axel Merckx’s Hagens Berman Axeon programme. He impressed immediately with a strong debut Giro d’Italia, followed by fourth place overall at the 2023 Tour de l’Avenir. More recently, he won the Sibiu Cycling Tour in Romania, adding a stage victory along the way, and showed his consistency at the 2024 Tour de Suisse with fifth overall.
Decathlon CMA CGM, previously known as Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale, have clear ambitions to grow into one of the sport’s super teams with the arrival of major sponsor CMA CGM. The squad has already secured Olav Kooij to lead its sprint unit, added experienced Classics rider Tiesj Benoot, and is developing French prospect Paul Seixas with an eye on future Tour de France success.
Photo Credit: GettySports director Sébastien Joly explained the appeal of bringing Riccitello in. “We’ve been interested in Matthew’s profile for several seasons. He’s an excellent climber, and his consistency at the Vuelta showed his ability to perform across three weeks. We believe he has plenty of room for improvement. After strengthening our sprint division, we are now strengthening our mountain group, and Matthew is a real asset for our GC ambitions.”
Riccitello joins Decathlon CMA CGM at a time of upheaval for Israel-Premier Tech, with Derek Gee leaving, and Michael Woods and Simon Clarke announcing their retirements. For the American, however, the move represents a clear step towards establishing himself as a Grand Tour contender, with the backing of a team intent on challenging for the sport’s biggest prizes.
