The Ecuadorian Olympic champion Richard Carapaz still doesn’t have a contract signed for the 2026 season. His contract with EF Education-EasyPost ends at the end of 2025, and so far, the American team hasn’t announced a renewal for the “Locomotive of Carchi.”
Richard Carapaz without a contract.
In his professional career, the Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz Montenegro has amassed 24 victories, including the 2019 Giro d’Italia and the Olympic gold medal in Tokyo 2020+1. He has also achieved podium finishes and stage wins in all three Grand Tours of road cycling: the Vuelta a España, the Giro d’Italia, and the Tour de France.
The case of Richard Carapaz, who has yet to sign a contract for 2026, isn’t the only one generating excitement in the international peloton. Carapaz joined EF Education-EasyPost in 2023 on a three-year contract, following his time with Ineos Grenadiers and Movistar Team, where he shone in the Grand Tours.
According to the EFE news agency, 94 World Tour riders still do not have a team secured for next season, including figures such as Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski (Ineos Grenadiers), Colombia’s Fernando Gaviria (Movistar), and Spain’s Jesús Herrada (Cofidis), among others. EFE adds that EF Education-EasyPost itself has also not confirmed contract renewals for riders such as Ecuador’s Jefferson Cepeda, Colombia’s Esteban Chaves, or Britain’s Hugh Carthy.
Carapaz finished 2025 with a third-place finish in the Giro d’Italia, in addition to winning stage 11 of the ‘corsa rosa’. With EF Education-EasyPost, the “Locomotive of Carchi” achieved seven victories and also earned the King of the Mountains title at the 2024 Tour de France.
Contracts of Ecuadorian cyclists in the World Tour:
Richard Carapaz (EF Education-EasyPost), still without a contract
Alexander Cepeda (EF Education-EasyPost), still without a contract
Jhonatan Narváez, contract with UAE until 2026
Martín López, contract with Astana until 2027
Jefferson Cepeda, contract with Movistar until 2028
Mateo Ramírez, contract with UAE Team Emirates Gen Z until 2026
Source: www.elcomercio.com