Richard Carapaz set to sign for EF Education-EasyPost

Richard Carapaz had been rumoured to be leaving INEOS Grenadiers, however the rumour now seems to be confirmed as EF Education-EasyPost seem to have won the battle for his services from 2023 onwards.

The news have been advanced by VeloNews who understand the deal is confirmed and all that's left is to announce it, which should happen in the coming months - and not in present time as the transfer market only opens on the 1st of August officially. He is said to have declined a re-sign offer from INEOS aswell as one from Movistar Team who are looking for a rider to replace Alejandro Valverde - who is set to retire this fall.

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Carapaz is one of the most prolific stage-racers in the peloton currently, having finished on the podium of four Grand Tours since 2019, and winning the 2019 Giro d'Italia. The Ecuadorian just came off the Giro where he finished in second place behind just Jai Hindley. He's also finished in second place at the Vuelta a Catalunya this year and won the time-trial national championships. He's been with INEOS since 2020 in a collaboration that has seen the climber in successful results several times.

This comes despite the doubts over the American team's maintenance at World Tour level, as the last update showed the team in close battle with Lotto Soudal and Team BikeExchange - Jayco. Carapaz will be looking for a sole leadership in the team, something in which he cannot obtain in INEOS Grenadiers with the likes of Egan Bernal, Daniel Martínez, Adam Yates and several other uprising climbers who are set to take over the team's ambitions in the coming years. 

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