With the retirement of Richard Carapaz, cycling team EF Education-EasyPost has also lost its leader in the first stage of the Tour de France. The 30-year-old Ecuadorian crashed hard 22 kilometers before the finish, just like Movistar leader Enric Mas, who had already left earlier on Saturday. After a medical test, it appears that Carapaz cannot continue either.
Carapaz suffered a fracture in his left kneecap and also received three stitches to close a wound. “Richard is going home to start his recovery. Get well campeón,” reports EF Education-EasyPost.
Carapaz got back on his bike with bloody legs, Mas had to give up immediately after the fall in the first stage to Bilbao. Mas was on his fifth Tour de France. The 28-year-old rider finished fifth in the 2020 Tour and sixth in 2021.
Mas was the first dropout. He was on his fifth Tour de France. The 28-year-old rider finished fifth in the 2020 Tour and sixth in 2021. Last year he had to give up. He then finished second behind Remco Evenepoel in the Tour of Spain. Movistar is left with seven riders, the Spaniards Gorka Izagirre, Antonio Pedrero and Alex Aranburu, the Portuguese Nelson Oliveira and Ruben Guerreiro, the Austrian champion Gregor Mühlberger and the American Matteo Jorgenson.
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