Richard Carapaz undergoes surgery five weeks before Giro d’Italia start

Carapaz shared the news himself on social media: “It wasn’t the plan, but it was handled in the best possible way. I underwent surgery for a perineal condition,” the rider said.

“Everything went according to plan and successfully. From now on, I’m fully focused on my recovery and my return to top form for the Giro,” he added, already looking ahead to the race, which is due to begin on 8 May in Bulgaria.

“I’m grateful to Dr. Reinhart and his team of professionals who guided me through the process, and to Axxis Hospital for the excellent work,” Carapaz added. The 2019 Giro winner and third-placed finisher in last year’s edition has already raced four events this season, including Tirreno–Adriatico and the Volta a Catalunya. In that Catalan stage race, which concluded on Sunday in Barcelona, he still managed to finish a solid tenth overall despite the issue that has now required surgery.

The Ecuadorian had only recently returned to racing after a difficult start to the year. In January, Carapaz postponed the beginning of his 2026 campaign following the death of his mother, and in March he lined up in support of EF Education–EasyPost at Strade Bianche as he continued building towards the Giro. That made the Volta a Catalunya an important step in his preparation for the first Grand Tour of the season, where he had been expected to lead the team’s general classification ambitions.