Ecuadorian Richard Carapaz will end his contract with his current team, Ineos Grenadier, in December 2022 and his renewal or signing was one of the most talked about in recent weeks, until this Friday the specialized cycling site Velo News reported that it will be the American team EF Education-EasyPost which has the Olympic champion among its ranks for the next season.
Rumors suggested that Carapaz could return to the Movistar team, with which he won the 2019 Giro d’Italia, next year or that even his renewal with the Ineos Grenadier was already closed, but the digital portal confirmed that his signing with EF Education -EasyPost is firm and will be made public on August 1 when confirmed by the UCI.
Carapaz’s signing was one of the most interesting this year as he was a key rider for many WorldTour teams to rebuild their formations around the Ecuadorian. For the EF Education-EasyPost it represents the most important movement in recent years with the prospect of facing the victory of a Grand Tour.
The only obstacle for ‘Richie’ not to reach the EF would be for the American team to drop in category at the end of the season. As is known, this year the ascents and descents in cycling will be applied. Of the 18 teams that will receive the World Tour license for the next season, the EF Education-EasyPost is in 17th place, fighting to stay.
The United States team would have promised to get the necessary points to maintain the category and would also have offered Carapaz a unique leadership in the grand tours, especially in the Tour de France.
The EF currently has Colombian Rigoberto Urán as its main runner, who will turn 36 in January 2023 and who is thinking about retirement. ‘Rigo’ would stay to work at the EF Education-EasyPost.
Urán is a friend of Richard Carapaz and on several occasions they have been seen training together or sharing in the platoon. Even in 2021 they made it 1-2 in the Tour of Switzerland, with the Ecuadorian as champion.
There is also another Ecuadorian on this team: Jonathan Caicedo, who has a contract until December 2023.
The EF roster is not one of the most powerful on the World Tour and that is why it has been difficult for them to get victories this year. He has barely had four wins and that is why he is looking for a rider who guarantees success, mainly in the grand tours.
Carapaz is a cyclist who offers guarantees. He has been on the podium in grand tours in the last four seasons: champion of the 2019 Giro and runner-up of the 2022 Giro; runner-up in the 2020 Vuelta a España and third in the 2021 Tour de France. In addition, he is the current Olympic champion.
In the EF Education-EasyPost, the Ecuadorian runner would be the absolute leader. His goal will be to win the Tour de France. Richard Carapaz is in Carchi in his recovery process after having participated in the Giro d’Italia.
On Thursday, June 16, “Richie” climbed to the top of the Chiles Volcano (4,700 meters above sea level) with his friend Jorge Montenegro. The 29-year-old is scheduled to attend the Tour of Poland (July 30-August 5) and then the Vuelta a España (August 19-September 11).