Richard Carapaz to get seven-day break before Cycling World Championships

Richard Carapaz will have only seven days to recover after the Vuelta a España before leading Ecuador at the Cycling World Championships.

The Vuelta runs through Sept. 13, 2026, and Carapaz has 11 stages remaining. He preserved fifth place in the general classification after finishing 19th in the 10th stage, which covered 184.7 kilometers between Alcaraz and Elche de la Sierra. He recorded the same time as stage winner Bastien Tronchon, 4 hours, 7 minutes and 41 seconds.

Carapaz sits 3 minutes and 26 seconds behind race leader Enric Mas. Primož Roglič is second, Felix Gall third, and Oscar Onley fourth. The Ecuadorian did not lose ground to his direct rivals and will next race on Sept. 2 in the 153.8-kilometer stage from Cartagena to Lorca.

The World Championships will take place from Sept. 20 to 27, with Ecuador's delegation led by Carapaz. Juan Andrade, president of the Ecuadorian Cycling Federation, previously confirmed the team. Carapaz will be joined by Jonathan Narváez of UAE Team Emirates, Jefferson Cepeda of Movistar Team, and Alexander Cepeda of EF Education-EasyPost. Harold Martín López of Astana will not take part after asking not to be considered because of issues with his team.

Carapaz has competed in nine official events in 2026. A perineal operation kept him out of the Giro d'Italia, but he finished second at the Tour de Suisse, eighth at the Tour de France, and second at the Clásica de San Sebastián. At the Tour, he also won the mountains classification and the super-combativity award.