Richard Carapaz, the current holder of the King of the Mountains title from the Tour de France, will not be competing this year. He developed a gastrointestinal infection while training at home in Ecuador.
His EF team confirmed on their website, "Last week, he began experiencing abdominal pain and a high fever. 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 finished third in the Giro d'Italia this month, and he was expected to lead the EF Pro Cycling team during the Tour, which begins on July 5.
"We are disappointed for Richard," said Jonathan Vaughters, the team's chief executive. "He showed strong performance in the Giro. He dedicated significant effort to reach that form, making the timing particularly unfortunate. We understand the Tour represents an important goal for him, making his absence this close to the start a challenge."
The 2020 Olympic champion and 2019 Giro winner, who took the climbing and combativity prizes at last year's Tour de France, is 32 years old. The team announced, "He will take a few weeks off to allow his body to fully recover. Once he returns, his target will be the Vuelta a España, starting on August 23. 'His aim is to win the Vuelta a España,' stated the team."
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