Richard Carapaz put the finishing touch to his participation in the Tour de France after winning two stage victories, the mountain jersey and recognition as a super fighter of the competition, establishing himself as one of the great protagonists of the edition.

The EF Education-EasyPost Ecuadorian cyclist, 33, closed the race with an outstanding balance and assured that the outcome exceeded the expectations he had before starting the competition.

"It has been an impressive week, finishing this way is what we dreamed of. We are very happy, with two stages, the mountain and the most combative. It is the dream ending. It is incredible to finish like this," declared Richard Carapaz at the end of the race.

Richard Carapaz once again dominates the mountain of the Tour de France

The Ecuadorian won for the second time the mountain jersey and the recognition for the super combative of the Tour de France, distinctions that he also obtained in the 2024 edition.

Furthermore, Carapaz already knows what it is like to get on the podium of the French round, after finishing third in the 2021 general classification, confirming an outstanding career within the top competition in world cycling.

The sacrifice behind the mountain jersey

During his statements, Richard Carapaz recognized the effort it took to win the mountain classification, a battle that he maintained until the last days of the competition.

"I have fought a lot to win this jersey. It has been very difficult, a great battle, taking it home is a very special feeling," said the Ecuadorian runner.

The Olympic champion also reflected on the demands of high-performance cycling and the value of achieving victories today.

"In such professional cycling, in which we are subjected to so much stress, winning is a privilege. For me it has been very nice to enjoy these years in my career. I hope to continue a couple more years and then we will see how this goes," he said.

The victory in Alpe d'Huez, one of the best moments of his career

One of the most outstanding moments of the Tour de France 2026 for Richard Carapaz was the conquest of the queen stage ending in the legendary Alpe d'Huez, a victory that he described as one of the most important of his entire career.

“It was the most impressive of my career, I had an indescribable feeling, I am enjoying the moment in this very special environment,” he said after stepping off the podium installed on the Champs-Élysées.

The Ecuadorian also explained that his strategy during the race was focused on seeking partial victories, since from the beginning he knew that he would not fight for the general classification.

“I had nothing to lose, that has been one of the keys to coming here, I was not for the general classification, I knew what I was coming for and I am happy with what we have achieved,” he commented.

Will Richard Carapaz race the Vuelta a España?

After finishing the Tour de France 2026, Richard Carapaz avoided confirming whether he will be present in the next edition of the Vuelta a España.

“I had a calendar that I had to modify, now we finish the Tour and we will see the future,” responded the Ecuadorian, who left open the possibility of defining his calendar in the coming weeks.