"I am going there to win the race" - Richard Carapaz wants to reclaim the Giro d'Italia title

Richard Carapaz is set to return to the Giro d’Italia in 2025, with his sights firmly set on reclaiming the pink jersey. With just a few months to go until the race, the 2019 champion is making it clear that this is one of his biggest goals of the season.

Carapaz has proven his pedigree in Grand Tours before. He conquered the Giro in 2019, and in 2024, he won his first stage at the Tour de France while also securing the King of the Mountains jersey. Now, with a strong offseason behind him, he believes another Giro victory is within reach.

" I have good memories of the Giro d'Italia, and returning there this year is one of my biggest goals of the season. During the winter, my preparation was excellent and during all my training at home in Ecuador, I was only thinking about the Giro, and I think it is possible to win the race again ," Carapaz stated in a team press release.

His connection to the Giro d’Italia runs deep, and his past success in the race continues to motivate him.

" My passion for the Giro has never left me. At home, I have the trophy room, the pink jersey and the trophy that take center stage. Every day, when I see them, I am even more motivated to win the race. I want another pink jersey."

The 2025 edition is expected to be fiercely competitive, with several major contenders targeting the maglia rosa. However, Carapaz acknowledges that this year’s Giro will take place without the two dominant forces of modern Grand Tour racing, Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, something that could shift the dynamics of the race.

" To do so, I will have to deal with a very dense field, but without the two Invincibles Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. There will be a lot of good contenders for the race like Primoz Roglic, Juan Ayuso and the Yates brothers, but you have to expect that for such an important race. For me and my morale, I am going there to win the race. Whoever accompanies me, we will have a super competitive team. I will have good teammates and I know they will be there to help me ."

Carapaz has already studied the route in detail, assessing where the key battles will take place. With the Grand Départ in Albania, the first week already brings mountains, setting the tone for a challenging three weeks. The second week’s time trial and tricky stages will demand focus, while the final week will be decisive, with brutal mountain stages likely to determine the overall winner.

" I've looked at the course several times. The start in Albania and the three stages there will be tough and we'll be in the mountains the first week. The second week is important with the time trial and the stages where you have to be careful, and of course the last week, as always here, is super tough. That's where the race will be decided.

"I really like the course. There are some climbs that I know but there are also new ones. For me and the team, the plan is to arrive at the Giro in perfect condition. It's always good to have results before for morale, but it's about building my form. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and dreaming of winning the Giro d'Italia."

At 31 years old, Carapaz knows his opportunities to fight for Grand Tour victories are not unlimited, but he remains confident that he still has two or three more chances to target the overall classification.

" I'm 31 now and this is not my last chance, maybe I have two or three chances left in my career for the general classification, but I want to make this year count ," he said.