It is no secret that Richard Carapaz is aiming at the Vuelta a Espana to take his first Grand Tour win with INEOS Grenadiers, after three podium places in three years. He's not the undisputed leader in a lineup with such quality, but he is the British team's main weapon.
“I have no doubts about my performance after the Giro. In the end, I have always performed well in the grand tours. I trust a lot in myself and my team. We will do a great ride," Carapaz told Velonews. The Ecuadorian showed that there was still some form to be gained at the Tour de Pologne, and lost seven seconds - alongside several other GC contenders - yesterday on the hilltop finish at Laguardia. The Vuelta has not yet entered the mountains however, and a three-week race is often decided in the final days - as he knows very well.
With the second place on the opening team time-trial however, Carapaz sits in seventh position in the GC currently, and only 33 seconds behind Primoz Roglic. “There are many good and eager people at this Vuelta. But it is clear that Roglic, as the winner of the last three editions, is the great favorite to repeat the victory. Hindley and Landa, of course, are two very tough rivals as was seen in the Giro," he added.
Today's double-ascent of the Alto del Vivero will be a first test, however tomorrow the summit finish at Pico Jano will be crucial in seeing how the GC riders sit into the race. INEOS have Pavel Sivakov, Tao Geoghegan Hart and Carlos Rodríguez however to attack the mountains, not just the Ecuadorian. “We have a great team and the one that is better will be the one that can compete in the race".
"In the Tour, it was already seen that there were several riders involved in the general classification until in the end, it was possible to fight for the podium with Thomas, who was the strongest," Carapaz mentioned.
“I’m going to do my best to win this Vuelta. Two years ago I was second and I would love to be able to improve on that result. That’s what I’ve worked so hard for," he stated once again, confidently.
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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Moving on up the GC at #LaVuelta22 3⃣ @ethan_hayter ⚪️ 4⃣ @PavelSivakov 5⃣ @taogeoghegan 7⃣ @RichardCarapazM 8⃣ @_rccarlos
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