Richard Carapaz Withdraws from Tour de France Due to Infection

QUITO, Ecuador — Richard Carapaz, the reigning king of the mountains, will miss this year’s Tour de France after developing a gastrointestinal infection while training at home in Ecuador. His team, EF Education-EasyPost, announced his withdrawal on their website.

“Last week, he began experiencing abdominal pain and a high fever,” the team reported. “[Doctors] have advised against long-haul travel and competition at this time. As a result, Richard will not take part in this year’s Tour de France.”

Carapaz recently finished third in the Giro d’Italia and was set to lead the EF Pro team in the Tour, which starts on July 5. Jonathan Vaughters, the EF CEO, expressed disappointment for Carapaz, stating, “We’re all gutted for Richard. He came out of the Giro with amazing form.”

The 32-year-old, who was the 2019 Giro winner, claimed the climbing and combativity prizes in last year’s Tour. The team confirmed that he will take a few weeks off to recover and then focus on the Vuelta a España, which begins on August 23.

Carapaz revealed his situation on Instagram, saying, “Not the best news, but health always comes first. Thank you all for your messages and support.” Vaughters emphasized Carapaz’s dedication, stating, “He sacrificed a lot to get to that level, so the timing really couldn’t be worse.”

Carapaz has achieved six podium finishes in the Grand Tours, including a gold medal in the road race at the 2020 Summer Olympics. His goal is to win the Vuelta, a race he last competed in during 2022.