Stronger than ever, but illness forces Carapaz to skip Tour, now focusing on victory in Vuelta

"Richard finished the Giro d’Italia more motivated than ever and had his sights set on the Tour de France. But last week, he began experiencing abdominal pain and a high fever. He underwent several rounds of tests that revealed a gastrointestinal infection, which was confirmed by additional scans and imaging. The medical staff in Ecuador started him on antibiotics and medication to manage the pain and fever," said Carapaz's team. The doctors from the team and in Ecuador ultimately concluded that a long trip to Europe was not advisable; for this reason, Carapaz will have to skip the Tour this year.

“We’re all gutted for Richard,” said sports director Jonathan Vaughters, who saw his rider shine in May with a third place in the Giro d'Italia. Carapaz also won a stage. "He came out of the Giro with amazing form and was setting career-high power numbers in training. He sacrificed a lot to get to that level, so the timing really couldn’t be worse. We know how much the Tour means to him, so to lose him this close to the race is a real blow. He’s a champion in every sense, and knowing him, I have no doubt this setback will only motivate him to come back stronger," concluded Vaugthers.

The medical staff expects Carapaz to make a full recovery, but it will be too late for the Tour. After a two-week rest period, Carapaz will resume training. The goal for the fall is clear: “To win the Vuelta a España.” Carapaz needs to get back in shape because both Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard are also planning to travel to Spain. In 2021, Carapaz stood with them on the final podium of the Tour de France.