"I'm back and the truth is that I still have a lot to fight for" - Richard Carapaz delighted to prove he's still a Grand Tour challenger at 2024 Vuelta a Espana

Richard Carapaz is sitting fourth overall at the 2024 Vuelta a Espana, 49 seconds off the podium with just one stage to go. The Ecuadorian was expected to try a long attack in Picón Blanco, but did not have the strength to do so.

Upon arriving at the finish line, he admitted to feeling proud of the sensations he felt in the Vuelta, something he hadn't felt in a Grand Tour for a long time: "I'm very excited, to be back with the best is a big step for me, especially to find myself again. I've had a couple of pretty bad years where I couldn't really fight for a general classification and this year finding myself with the Vuelta has been something very special for me," he explained honestly. "I think I'm back and the truth is that I still have a lot to work for, a lot to fight for, a lot of dreams to fulfill and the truth is that I'm happy as a year. I don't feel defeated, I feel like I want to keep on working. We still have tomorrow, which is obviously going to be important, and we have to think about next year."

On the stage itself, he acknowledged that Enric Mas asked him for more so that between them they could leave Ben O'Connor, but he wasn't ready for more than he did: "It was very hard, Soudal - Quick-Step set a very, very strong pace, I think that towards the end everyone came with very little strength and then at the end I didn't want to get into any fight, I came focused on myself doing my own effort and then I think Enric asked me for much more than I could, I did my race and I'm happy about it," concludes the EF Education - EasyPost leader.

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2024 Vuelta a Espana GC Update after stage 20: Primoz Roglic all but secures red whilst less than a minute separate O'Connor, Mas & Carapaz heading into final time-trial