'It almost seemed impossible' - Relieved Carapaz conquers Orcières-Merlette in solo masterclass
Richard Carapaz was all smiles after conquering Orcières-Merlette on stage 18 of the Tour de France, having finally broken through after weeks of relentless pursuit.
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Richard Carapaz was rewarded for his relentless aggression in the high mountains after his brilliant solo victory on stage 18 of the Tour de France, bringing a massive sense of relief to the EF Education-EasyPost camp after hunting a stage win across the opening two weeks, with it finally arriving in week three.
“Coming back to win here in the Tour has been something that has cost us so much, so much,” Carapaz said in the flash interview. “Knowing that the work I do can be rewarded with all this, that is the most gratifying thing for me.”
Carapaz showcased his climbing prowess by launching a decisive attack from a large breakaway, staying attentive to the splits and timing his move perfectly when Quick-Step accelerated with three riders in the finale of the Stage 18.
His victory on the summit finish marks a major high point for the Olympic champion, who admitted that the triumph was the result of immense patience following numerous near-misses earlier in the race.
“We had tried it several times and it almost seemed impossible,” Carapaz said. “Today was a very, very hard day. I stayed very attentive, and when they moved, I was ready.”
Carapaz is aiming to cement a stellar legacy in the Grand Tours, adding a second Tour de France stage victory to his illustrious palmarès, which includes his overall victory at the 2019 Giro d’Italia and multiple mountain stage wins across all three Grand Tours.
EF Education-EasyPost came into this July aiming to animate the race through aggressive breakaways, and their faith in the Ecuadorian climber has finally paid off in spectacular fashion as the race enters its most critical phase.
“We knew what we came here for, and we knew what we had to do to make it happen,” Carapaz said. “To be able to make this possible for me and the team, we are very happy.”
Carapaz delivered the victory EF had long been waiting for in the Alps, but the brutal Alpe d’Huez double header on stages 19 and 20 could offer further opportunities for success.
Result: Tour de France stage 18
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