Aftermath of Olympic feud? Narváez withdraws from Worlds, Carapaz suddenly Ecuador’s sole team leader

Carapaz already proved in 2021 that he performs exceptionally well at international tournaments, when he won Olympic gold in the road race in Tokyo. Narváez could have been an excellent second team leader, but the UAE Team Emirates-XRG rider will not be traveling to Africa, according to a statement from the Ecuadorian Cycling Federation (FEC). “Jhonatan Narváez has decided, in consultation with his team, not to participate in the World Championships,” the press release states.

So this wasn’t a decision made by the federation, but by the rider himself. “This decision is based on the course, which has been specifically designed for climbers and does not fully suit the rider’s strengths. This assessment was carefully made by Jhonatan and his team to ensure that his performance is managed responsibly.”

But a climbers’ course shouldn’t be a problem for Narváez. It’s a strange line of reasoning, considering the Ecuadorian national champion’s impressive climbing legs in the Tour de France, where he finished 13th overall and helped launch Pogacar to victory on Hautacam by single-handedly dropping Jonas Vingegaard. Moreover, the course in Rwanda is mostly filled with short climbs, perfect for a puncheur...

Add to that his current form (a stage win and 2nd overall in the Deutschland Tour, 11th in the GP Montréal), and the decision really does raise questions. Is something else going on? Fans with good memories might recall the drama around the Paris Olympics, where defending champion Carapaz wasn’t allowed to start: Ecuador had just one start spot, and after a long battle for the ticket, the federation chose Narváez instead.

Narváez had reportedly gathered more UCI points, which earned him the spot for France. Carapaz was furious, and didn’t hide it. “It’s crystal clear that I earned that spot, and I don’t say that on a whim or just because I’m the current Olympic champion. Nearly fifty percent of Ecuador’s UCI points were earned by me, and we weren’t even made aware of the selection criteria,” he said at the time.

Narváez said he understood Carapaz’s anger, but was disappointed in the way his compatriot expressed it. “The cycling federation has the authority in the end, whether you like it or not.” It seemed like the feud had ended, but with the World Championships on the horizon, it may have flared up again. In any case, Carapaz is going to Kigali, joined by Jonathan Caicedo and Harold Martin Lopez.