Richard Carapaz

Richard Antonio Carapaz Montenegro, born on May 29, 1993, is an Ecuadorian professional road racing cyclist with UCI WorldTeam EF Education–EasyPost. He made history by winning the 2019 Giro d'Italia, becoming the first Ecuadorian to achieve this feat. In 2021, he clinched the Olympic road race gold medal, marking a historic moment as the first Ecuadorian cyclist to earn an Olympic medal and the second Ecuadorian to win Olympic gold in any sport.

Carapaz started his journey in professional cycling with Movistar Team in 2016. His talent shone through in 2018 with a stage win at the Giro d'Italia and a strong general classification finish. The following year, he secured his landmark victory at the Giro d'Italia. Joining Team Ineos in 2020, Carapaz demonstrated his versatility, notably wearing the polka dot jersey at the Tour de France and finishing second in the mountains classification. He continued to exhibit his strength in Grand Tours with a commendable performance in the Vuelta a España, securing second place overall. In 2021, his season was highlighted by winning the Tour de Suisse and a podium finish at the Tour de France.

In 2022, despite early setbacks, Carapaz displayed resilience, winning the Ecuadorian National Time Trial Championship and achieving a stage win at the Volta a Catalunya. His season was punctuated with a strong performance in the Vuelta a España, where he excelled in the mountains classification and secured multiple stage victories. He wrapped up the year with a notable second-place finish at the Giro d'Italia.

For the 2023 season, Carapaz transitioned to EF Education–EasyPost, where he continued to add to his palmarès with victories, including the National Road Race Championship and the Mercan'Tour Classic. His consistent performances are further underscored by podium finishes and top-ten placements in various prestigious races, such as Tre Valli Varesine, Giro della Toscana, Giro dell'Emilia and Coppa Sabatini.