No Vuelta a Espana for Richard Carapaz as he focuses on Rwanda World Championships: "I want to prepare for it the best way possible"

It's been a season of highs and lows for Richard Carapaz and today it's been confirmed that the Ecuadorian will not be participating at the Vuelta a Espana as initially expected. However the former Olympic Champion, unlike the Tour de France, will not let go of the race due to illness but instead because he wishes to prepare for the World Championships in the best possible way.

Carapaz at age 32 has shown his very best level this year, preparing for the Giro d'Italia in the best possible way as he had a modest spring and then climbed at a very high level throughout the Corsa Rosa, winning a stage, exploding the race in the final week and coming close to the overall win. He settled with a third place in Rome, unable to go through Isaac del Toro, and witnessing Simon Yates and Visma outsmarting the duo during the queen stage into Sestrière. He has not raced since - now over three months.

Carapaz was going to race the Tour de France with the goal of hunting stage wins and potentially the KOM jersey as he had done so in 2024, but gastrointestinal issues and fever led to him being on antibiotics with days remaining to the Grand Depart and he did not have condition to be properly competitive. Hence he began focusing on the final part of his season, believed to have the Vuelta a España in mind, but the goal turns out to be different.

“Now, the next goals we’ve set are the Italian classics, especially Il Lombardia, and also the World Championships in Rwanda," the team announced. "It’s a very special World Championship for me, where I have a big opportunity, and I want to prepare for it the best way possible.”

The Ecuadorian could be the dark horse in Rwanda taking into consideration his climbing abilities but also explosivity for the short ascents, but perhaps even more so because of his adaptability to the high altitude and hot weather that the riders could face in this unusual Worlds route.

Furthermore with the Italian Autumn classics providing plenty high-prestige opportunities, the EF Education-EasyPost rider is choosing that over a Vuelta where it would be unlikely that he would improve on the second place that he has achieved in the past.