Tour du Jura Cycliste: Matthew Riccitello climbs to solo victory atop Mont Poupet as team go 1-2

Matthew Riccitello (Decathlon CMA CGM) soloed to victory atop the Mont Poupet, celebrating the sixth victory of his professional career at the Tour du Jura Cycliste.

His teammate Léo Bisiaux out-sprinted Jordan Jegat (TotalEnergies) for a Decathlon 1-2.

"I'm just happy," Riccitello said. "I think as a team, we rode really well today. We had all of our bases covered, and I'm happy I could finish it off. It was a it was a big team effort and a good day for the team."

The American played off an earlier attack from teammate Nicolas Prodhomme and benefitted from Bisiaux sitting on the closest pursuer, Jegat, after shedding most of the chasing group.

"It was good for Nico and Leo to be aggressive at the in the first parts of the climb. And then I knew I had good legs. So, with three and a half K to go after Léo accelerated, I just thought I would attack just go as hard as I could to the finish. I thought if I got a gap, I could hold it. It wasn't easy. Jegat was strong behind, but I had good legs today."

After a rapid start with numerous attacks, a seven-man breakaway finally went clear after almost 50 kilometres. The move included continental riders Antoine Raugel (Van Rysel Roubaix), Théo Delacroix (St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93), Victor Jean (Elite Fondations), Hugo Lennartsson (Lucky Sport), Quentin Bezza (SCO Dijon), and Rémi Lelandais (Bourg-en-Bresse Ain).

Having enjoyed a three- to four-minute lead for 100 kilometres, the move finally came apart on the Côte de Thésy with 35km to go, leaving only Jean at the front chased by two attackers from the peloton, Louis Roland (Cofidis) and Mattéo Vercher (TotalEnergies). The three riders joined up with 20km to go, and then Vercher left Roland and Jean behind on an uncategorized climb with 11km to go as the peloton were 50 seconds behind.

Before the summit, Nicolas Prodhomme (Decathlon CMA CGM) leapt clear of the rapidly shrinking peloton and briefly picked up Jean along the way before setting off alone in pursuit of the two leaders before the final climb, the Mont Poupet.

Oddly, TotalEnergies led the chase of Prodhomme but only succeeded in nullifying the advantage of their teammate after reeling in the Decathlon rider. With 3km to go to the summit, Matthew Riccitello attacked and opened up a solid gap, with Vercher now turning his focus to chasing for teammate Jordan Jegat, winner of the Classic Grand Besançon Doubs the previous day. On their wheel was Riccitello's teammate Léo Bisiaux.

Once Vercher was dropped, Bisiaux got a free ride on Jegat's wheel before jumping away in the final metres to take second.

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