"There's more than 22,000 meters of elevation gain, it's going to be crucial" - Carapaz goes for glory in Giro week 3

The decisive week of the Giro d'Italia 2025 begins today. With a very tough stage 16, probably the most difficult high mountain stage, the favourites for the general classification put all the cards on the table.

One of them is Richard Carapaz. The Ecuadorian, leader of EF Education-EasyPost, has a good chance of winning his second Giro d'Italia, the race he won in 2019. Right now, before the aforementioned stage 16, he is 4th overall, 2:07 behind the maglia rosa, Isaac del Toro.

Perhaps more importantly, pre-race favourite Primoz Roglic has been put to the sword and is now seemingly out of contention for the GC. In conversation with Marca, Carapaz mentioned that he feels totally confident to fight to win this Corsa Rosa, and he has a clear plan to follow to win the maglia rosa.

"There's more than 22,000 meters of elevation gain accumulated this last week, and it's going to be crucial to always be ahead as a team," Richard Carapaz begins by pointing out, also by way of a warning to his EF.

"I did races in Europe as planned with the team and then I went to Ecuador to work at altitude. I'm an altitude guy, I've developed there and that's key. It's my natural habitat," adds Carapaz on how well prepared he is to face these decisive mountain stages in the Giro d'Italia.

Although UAE has made it clear that, for this final week, Isaac del Toro will be its only leader, Richard Carapaz does not trust Juan Ayuso, who is still ahead of him in the general classification:

"They are being very strong, but now comes the hardest part. We have to see how far they can sustain it. We will do our best to be there," concluded the Ecuadorian.

The advantage that Carapaz has in the general classification is clear: of the rivals behind, perhaps the one that worries him most is Egan Bernal, because he has been the most active rider in attacks, and can surprise him in the mountains. But the Colombian is almost a minute and a half behind, while his immediate pursuer, Derek Gee, is almost a minute behind too.