"It was not forced" - EF Education-EasyPost boss Vaughters said team let Richard Carapaz leave over increased financial constraints
Cycling
EF Education-EasyPost team manager Jonathan Vaughters has confirmed that the team allowed Richard Carapaz to leave, citing increased financial contraints leading to the team with no choice but to allow the Ecuadorian to leave.
It was confirmed last week that the Tour de France stage winner was heading to NSN Cycling Team, leaving the Ameircan setup after four seasons and with still one more season left on his deal.
Vaughters has now confirmed that the move was not forced upon them, and that a hard decision was made amid financial constraints that leaves the team with approximately 15 percent less budget for 2027.
“It was a little bit of a sad situation where our economic resources were stretched to the point that we needed to make some hard decisions,” Vaughters told Escape Collective.
The main financial blow for the team comes in the form of Oatly, one of the title sponsor of the women's team, leaving the setup. Both teams share the same budget meaning that Oatly's departure also affects the men's team.
Vaughters on the team's financial situation
“That’s the first, you know, ping. The second one is just world economics. Our operational costs have gone up a lot, and when you’re a smaller-budget team that hits you a lot harder than it does at UAE.”
Despite efforts across 2026 to secure a new sponsor, EF have to face 2027 with a tighter budget, leading to the decision not to stand in the way of Carapaz departing, which proved a hard but cost-cutting measure.
Comparing the move to the team's - then Team Garmin-Slipstream - attempts to keep Bradley Wiggins before his eventual move to Sky, Vaughters confirmed the team did not fight to hold onto their big name rider.
“When it comes down to like, well, what are the cost centres that you can get rid of? Well, there’s not so many options, right? A very simple option would be to just let your most highly compensated rider leave.
“We willingly let Richie go. It was not forced, it was not a Brad Wiggins situation where we were fighting it tooth and nail."
Read also
Vaughters looks ahead despite big rider exit
Looking forward, EF's budget and now roster strength has taken a hit. For the team manager, he wants to put faith in others who have had less opportunities or hoping to fight back - seemingly pointing toward the arrival of Tao Geoghegan Hart.
The 2020 Giro winner has struggled in three seasons at Lidl-Trek after breaking his femur at the 2023 Giro. He joins the team in his hopes to revive his career.
“Sometimes you just gotta take the gut check and let the big-name rider go and put faith into someone who nobody’s heard of, nobody’s counting on, or everybody has written off,” he said.
“You just have to say, we’re going to take that responsibility, take that risk, and we are going to ignore what public opinion is.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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