"I can’t ask for anything else" - Alpe d'Huez win caps off perfect Tour de France for Richard Carapaz
Cycling
Richard Carapaz put the finishing touch to an unforgettable 2026 Tour de France with a hugely prestigious win on the Alpine queen stage. The EF Education-EasyPost rider from Ecuador sealed his second stage victory of the edition after an epic battle against the likes of Sepp Kuss and Jai Hindley; and clinched the mountains classification as well.
The Ecuadorian joined the day's breakaway once again, capturing enough points to seal the KOM classification, and having the legs to attack the Col de la Croix de Fer and then once again the Col du Galibier.
Carapaz admitted that for much of the day he did not even realise he could end up celebrating. “There was a moment when I didn’t believe it myself. It was a very, very hard stage for me.”
The Ecuadorian explained that his first goal was to secure the mountains classification, but the race dynamics made him change strategy. “At the start I was fighting for the polka dots because I knew it would be tough. After the first two climbs I thought: ‘I’m going to try to win the stage.’”
The fight was full-gas to the line against two riders with major palmarès. “In the finale I had two Grand Tour winners in front of me, Jai Hindley and Sepp Kuss. Sepp was really hard to shake. I was always on the limit.”
But after being dropped on the Col de Sarenne, he benefited from the crashes of Sepp Kuss in the final descent. He then took the lead of the race.
Carapaz confessed the tension did not lift until he crossed the line, aware that both Kuss and the GC favourites were still close.
“On the descent something happened and I opened a small gap, but I kept pushing because I knew the group behind was at about 30 seconds and Sepp was barely ten away.”
The final four kilometres felt endless. “I suffered a lot. The last four kilometres to the finish were brutal.”
Richard Carapaz won the final mountain stage of the Tour de France
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A dream Tour for Carapaz
At 33, the Ecuadorian said this victory carries special meaning and feels like a reward for all the work put in over three weeks.
“It was beautiful to win here with this jersey. I think I deserve it because I fought so hard throughout this Tour.”
With two stage wins and the mountains title, Carapaz could hardly ask for more. “Two stages and this jersey… I can’t ask for anything else. It’s been a dream Tour.”
The EF Education-EasyPost leader explained that in the opening days he realised he did not have the legs to fight for the general classification and decided to switch plans completely.
“From the first stages, in Barcelona, I saw I wasn’t there to contest the GC. It was very clear in my head.”
From then on he focused all his efforts on stage wins and the mountains classification.
“I knew exactly what I wanted to do and in the end we achieved it: the polka-dot jersey and now a second stage victory.” Still, he will finish the race in eighth place due to his climbing performances and the lack of chase from his rivals this afternoon once again.
A message for Ecuador
Carapaz closed by remembering all the fans who supported him over these three weeks and celebrating a Tour that will rank among the best of his career.
“Tomorrow in Paris will be another story, but today this Tour has been amazing. The crowd and everyone following me from home will be shouting with joy.”
With his show on the queen stage, Richard Carapaz puts the exclamation point on a historic 2026 Tour de France for Ecuadorian cycling. Two stage wins, the polka-dot jersey, and constant visibility make this one of the brightest editions of his career.
Jorge BorregueroWriter
Jorge Borreguero is a journalist with a degree from the Complutense University of Madrid and has been a writer for Cyclinguptodate and Ciclismoaldia since early 2023. In this role, he has played a key part in the evolution of the website, particularly as a specialist covering Movistar Team. He regularly writes race reports, analytical pieces, and in-depth features about the team, and has conducted exclusive interviews and attended multiple team presentations, providing readers with firsthand insights into one of the leading professional cycling squads.
Throughout his career, Jorge has maintained a strong focus on sports journalism, gaining experience across a variety of disciplines, including basketball and football. However, his current work is almost entirely dedicated to cycling, contributing extensively to Ciclismoaldia and its sister website Cyclinguptodate. For these platforms, he combines thorough research with detailed reporting to deliver high-quality content, ranging from race previews and results to expert analysis of teams and riders.
Jorge’s reporting is marked by accuracy, depth, and a commitment to providing readers with reliable and authoritative information. His direct engagement with teams, athletes, and events ensures that his coverage reflects firsthand knowledge and professional insight. Through his work, he has established himself as a trusted voice in professional cycling journalism, bridging the gap between the sport and its global audience while maintaining rigorous editorial standards.
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- maybe this is something else they can protest in the streets of France.mij04-11-2026
- his Roubaix win was amazing. not to take anything away from him - arguably one of MVDP's wins was at the expense of a WVA flat - but so many things need to line up to get one of these. He had a perfect race with fewer bike issues on an attritional course. And crazy strong as usual. Glad he got this done.mij04-11-2026
- Orts was a super smart signing with the new rules regarding cross and UCI pointsmij04-11-2026
- yeah... you're right...PogiSloFans04-11-2026
- Podcast sounds great. Two so called experts stating the f*cking obvious.wrsty04-11-2026
- A mindset that reminds me of Tim Declerq. I loved watching that guy just pound away the kilometers, hours at the front, holding an entire breakaway in check on his own. Bjerg seems like a similar guy. Curling, the team sport.RidesHills04-11-2026
- He will be lol, but he can still win on the climbs hahaawp04-11-2026
- I would love to have his inconsistency. How many wins this year? 2 TdF stages, a WC, a Euro championship, San Sebastian, multiple wins early year. Monument podiums. I'd take it. I don't think he has a chance in the TdF, but he is still amazing.mij04-11-2026
- He's not going to win the TdF. Maybe if they make every single stage a TT he could win. But I still believe Tadej would just sharpen his TT skills and win.mij04-11-2026
- You beat me to it. Should he make a full recovery (likely) and go light early in the year. One, two, three. Don't ask me, I don't give a damn. Should he be on a Feel-Like-He's-Fixin'-to-Die High.Yepperoni04-11-2026
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