Former Giro d’Italia winner Richard Carapaz reportedly targeting return in 2026 as EF future is clarified

Richard Carapaz is being linked with a return to the Giro d’Italia in 2026, according to reporting in Italy, with the former winner once again expected to make the Corsa Rosa a key focus of his season.

Nothing has been confirmed by the EF Education-EasyPost team or by Carapaz himself. But the talk around a Giro return comes alongside reporting from La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Ciro Scognamiglio that Carapaz has already signed a long-term deal with EF running through to 2028, meaning his contract is not due to expire at the end of this year.

"Update about Richard Carapaz, Giro d'Italia winner (2019) and Olympic champion (2021) - sources confirmed to us that his contract with EF Pro Cycling has been signed till 2028, so doesn't expire at the end of this year," Scognamiglo updated via social media.

That removes a major layer of speculation. If Carapaz does go back to the Giro, it would not be because he needs a big result in a contract year, but because it is a race he actively wants to target.

Carapaz’s strongest Grand Tour results have always come in Italy. He broke through at the Giro in 2018 with a stage win and fourth overall, then went on to win the race outright in 2019, becoming the first Ecuadorian to take a Grand Tour title.

When he returned in 2022, he finished second overall, again showing that the Giro consistently brings out his best level. More recently, he has added another podium there in 2025, underlining how reliably he performs on Italian roads.

That history explains why a Giro return in 2026 makes sporting sense. The terrain, the racing style and the rhythm of the race have always suited his attacking climbing style better than any other Grand Tour.

For now, everything remains at the level of reporting rather than confirmation. But if Carapaz does line up in Italy in 2026, it would be a deliberate return to the race that has defined his career more than any other.