Tour la Provence: Matthew Riccitello wins stage 2 at the summit of Lure

We couldn't have asked for a better start to the season. In his very first race with the team, Matthew Riccitello raised his arms in victory at the top of Montagne de Lure. This win on CMA CGM's home turf shows that all the hard work over the winter is already paying off.

Movement even before the climb

Although the decision was made on the snow-covered slopes of Montagne de Lure, the race had been decided long before. On this 175km stage, which promised to favor climbers, there was an additional factor to consider today: the wind. With riders such as Oliver Naesen, Stan Dewulf, and Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen, our climbers were well supported to cope with the strong winds on this second stage.

Rasmus Søjberg Pedersen and Oliver Naesen played a key role in protecting Matthew Riccitello today.

The action began just over 50 kilometers from the finish line. On the slight downhill section after the last categorized climb of the day (Col de Buire, category 3), EF Education – EasyPost and Van Rysel Roubaix decided to ramp up the pace. Well positioned at the front of the peloton, our riders them to form a crosswind group that quickly opened up a significant gap.
This offensive lasted only about 20 kilometers, as successive changes in direction were no longer favorable for crosswinds in the last 30 kilometers.

The final climb

From the first slopes of Montagne de Lure, the peloton quickly thinned out under the impetus of the Ineos Grenadiers team. "We knew we had two cards to play in this climb: me, if the climb was very selective, and Aurélien Paret-Peintre, if the group remained larger to play the sprint," said Matthew Riccitello.

With 3.8 kilometers to go, and only five riders in the lead group, Carlos Rodríguez increased the pace. Matthew was the only one able to keep up with the Spaniard. Thanks to the presence of Aurélien Paret-Peintre providing immediate support in the chasing group, Matthew was able to stay on his rival's wheel before making his move in the technical final kilometer. In the sprint, he beat Rodríguez to claim his first win of the season.

Startingthe season with a win, I couldn't have hoped for anything better. The team was perfect all day long, keeping me well positioned.

Aurélien Paret-Peintre finished fourth. By pushing hard just a few lengths behind the leading duo, Aurélien remained fully engaged to secure an impressive fourth place.

Thanks to this victory in his new colors, Matthew Riccitello takes the leader's jersey in the overall classification as well as the best climber's jersey.