Riccitello scores on day two for new team, but first had to frustrate INEOS

The lightweight climber had to tackle the Montagne de Lure in harsh conditions: a stiff headwind, temperatures below freezing between snow walls, and a brutal final climb of almost 14 kilometres. At around 55 kilograms, it may well have felt even tougher for him than for most.

Still, Decathlon CMA CGM managed to place Riccitello perfectly heading into the finale. After organisers cleared ice and snow from the road, the remaining snow banks produced a spectacular winter backdrop for the decisive climb.

Decathlon had been working hard on the front as the peloton approached the foot of the ascent, but once the road tilted up, INEOS Grenadiers hit the gas. Riccitello and Aurélien Paret-Peintre held off the INEOS train, before Carlos Rodríguez launched a fierce acceleration.

For a moment Rodríguez looked like he might ride away, but Riccitello clung on just a few metres behind and, by doing so, took the sting out of the move. With the wind in their faces, even Rodríguez — who appeared to have the best legs — couldn’t force a gap, and it came down to a short sprint.

Riccitello won that sprint. “It couldn’t have gone better,” said the stage winner and new overall leader afterwards. “The team kept me in position all day and I’m really happy I could finish it off. This is a great start with the team.”

“In the radio I heard we had two cards to play on the final climb, with Aurélien and me,” Riccitello explained. “With the headwind I knew Aurélien had the best punch and he was close, so I stayed on Carlos’ wheel.”

When Brandon Rivera (INEOS) came back to Paret-Peintre, it got tense for a moment. “Because he’s fast too,” Riccitello said, “but in the end we played it perfectly. I decided to go early and I think that was the right decision — also because Aurélien couldn’t come back anymore.”