Richard Carapaz leaves EF Education-EasyPost for a surprising project: 'A team with enormous potential'

Carapaz rode for EF Education-EasyPost for the past four years, achieving some of his greatest successes there. For example, in 2025, he finished third in the Giro d'Italia and also won a stage there. He also won no fewer than three stages in the Tour de France while with the American team and claimed the mountains jersey twice, including in the most recent edition.

But rumors of his departure had been swirling for over a year. The Ecuadorian seemed poised to leave last year, but changed his mind. Throughout the new season, Pinarello-Q36.5 and Netcompany INEOS were mentioned as possible new teams. A transfer to the latter team would mark a return: he rode for that team between 2020 and 2022.

But it will be NSN after all. “For me, it’s a fantastic opportunity as a rider to be part of this project and, above all, to be one of the team’s leaders,” Carapaz says on his new team’s website. “I’m really looking forward to it, and to be honest, this reminds me a lot of the moment I signed my first pro contract, when I was incredibly happy to be racing in the WorldTour. I still have the same motivation as I did back then, and that’s a truly fantastic feeling.”

Why did he choose Andrés Iniesta’s team? “The team has big ambitions to keep growing, and it quickly became clear from my conversations with the coaching staff that we share the same desire to keep improving and achieve great things together. I think the team has a lot of potential to develop, and I’m looking forward to being a part of that over the next three years.”

General Manager Kjell Carlström is thrilled about Carapaz's arrival. “Richard Carapaz’s arrival is a significant moment for our team and an important milestone in the development of our sporting project,” explains the Swede. “Richard is a proven champion. His achievements speak for themselves, but what makes him special is his mindset.”

The 33-year-old climber will be worth his weight in gold to NSN in more ways than one. “His experience and leadership will be invaluable, not only in helping us achieve our athletic goals, but also in developing the next generation of talent within the team. Richard is someone our young riders can look up to, and I have no doubt that he will fit perfectly into our team culture.”

For other rookies, Carapaz’s arrival might be a bit of a blow after all. Santiago Buitrago and Lennert Van Eetvelt both signed contracts with the Swiss team, but with a star like Carapaz joining—who recently finished fourth in the Vuelta a España—there is suddenly fierce competition for a leadership role in the Grand Tours.