"He lost the Giro, he didn't know how to race well" - Richard Carapaz has no pity for Isaac del Toro after Finestre showdown
Cycling
A very disappointed Richard Carapaz was quick to respond to a few questions asked of him after the finish of stage 20 at the Giro d'Italia. The Ecuadorian tried to win the race, but finished third. He was in no mood to make friends in a finale where he clashed directly with Isaac Del Toro.
EF Education-EasyPost deployed all of their resources to position themselves well at the base of the Colle delle Finestre, and launch a brutal collective acceleration right at the base of the 1-hour long climb. It was a risky tactic, but aimed at wearing down Del Toro who seemed to struggle on stage 16's long efforts.
However Carapaz could not distance the Mexican, despite attacking at least a dozen times. The former Olympic Champion did everything he could to make the difference, but simultaneously none had the legs to follow Simon Yates who launched a devastating attack and went on to conquer the Giro.
After Finestre Carapaz refused to work with Del Toro, and right after the finish his discontent with the UAE Team Emirates - XRG rider seemed clear: "We could have been the strongest, but the smartest guy won."
Asked directly about whether Isaac del Toro could have done something different, such as working with him on Finestre, Carapaz didn't hesitate and made it clear that he believed the Mexican had got the race strategy completely wrong: "In the end he lost the Giro, I think he didn't know how to ride well and in the end the smartest guy won."
The duo completely stopped on the road and waited for the groups coming from behind, and ultimately arrived at the finish together. Carapaz will be settling with a third spot on the final podium, one below the rider who he tried to dethrone throughout the whole week.
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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