Richard Carapaz ready to take the fight to Tadej Pogacar at Strade Bianche: "The legs feel great... We’re hoping for the best"
Cycling
Although Tadej Pogacar starts as the heavy pre-race favourite at Strade Bianche this weekend, the Slovenian isn't the only man taking to the startline in Tuscany with ambition. One of those keen to try and challenge the world champion, will be EF Education-EasyPost's Richard Carapaz.
“Strade Bianche is a beautiful race. I’m excited to race it with the team, and right now I am feeling very good," previews the Ecuadorian cycling icon in a pre-race press release posted to the official website of the EF Education-EasyPost team. "The legs feel great after a very good pre season of training."
Because of a few key changes to the route of this year's edition, many are calling this the toughest Strade Bianche of all time. As it turns out though, that could be a big benefit to Carapaz's chances of victory. "We’ve done the recon, and this year is a bit harder than previous editions of the race and a bit longer with one more sector. For us, it will be a big challenge, because this race is not only won with good legs, but also with being in the best position in key moments of the race and staying away from the complicated moments in the back," he explains. "We’ll do our best, obviously thinking of a win. The team is very experienced and capable of making it happen. I feel ready. We’ll see at Strade on the weekend. We’re hoping for the best.”
One of those tasked with aiding Carapaz in his quest for victory, is the Irish youngster, Archie Ryan. For the 23-year-old, it will be a debut appearance on the white roads of Tuscany. “ I'm super excited,” Ryan says. “I've never done it before, but it must be one of, if not the, coolest races on the calendar. I haven't given gravel a proper crack, myself, but I'm super excited to try out the old sterrato. I’ll go into it with an open mind and do what I can to help the team."
"I think we've got some good options with the boys and we can do something special if we put our heads together. I just want to be an integral part of the team and do what I can to help the big boys," the Irishman adds. "Racing in Italy is such a vibe – up, down, left, right, techie descents, steep climbs, all the Italians drinking their espressos, watching the race pass by.”
EF Education - EasyPost for 2025 Strade Bianche
The white roads of Tuscany are calling, and our squad is ready to answer 😍🇮🇹
— EF Pro Cycling (@EFprocycling) March 5, 2025
Strade Bianche, here we come! Our squad shares their goals for the iconic race: https://t.co/XqHnoy9Cx3 pic.twitter.com/gcaPz57Dy0
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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