Carapaz signing set to raise expectations at EF Education EasyPost: "We're going to take on the top teams in the world to try and win the biggest races in the world"

According to Jonathan Vaughters, EF Education-EasyPost's team manager, the arrival of Richard Carapaz is set the raise the level of expectations at the team to a level where "the standards are going to be higher because of what we are striving for."

The arrival of the 29-year-old Giro d'Italia winner from INEOS Grenadiers is, in the eyes of Vaughters at least set to be a landmark moment in the history of EF Education-EasyPost. "We're going to take on the top teams in the world to try and win the biggest races in the world. You can feel it in everybody. There is a big change of spirit. It is game on," he says in a press release.

The Olympic road race champion has finished on the podium of all three of cycling's Grand Tours and is a six-time stage winner. Alongside Carapaz, the team have also brought in his former teammate Andrey Amador, Mikkel Honoré from QuickStep and Stefan De Bod from Astana.

"Each of them brings strengths to our roster that add explosivity and depth," Vaughters said of the new arrivals. "Everyone understands that expectations are going to be higher. The standards are going to be higher because what we are striving for – the goals – are a lot higher."