Richard Carapaz Withdraws from World Championship Due to Family Emergency

Former Olympic champion Richard Carapaz from Ecuador has withdrawn from the cycling world championship road race to attend to a family emergency. His daughter recently underwent emergency surgery, and Carapaz traveled back to Ecuador to be with her. This break in his training has affected his readiness for the competition.

Former Olympic champion Richard Carapaz of Ecuador has withdrawn from the cycling world championship road race because of an urgent family issue.

Carapaz, who was the best climber at this year's Tour de France, announced on Monday that he was traveling back to Ecuador to be with his daughter who had undergone emergency surgery. 'Fortunately, the surgery went well. However, she still requires care,' Carapaz stated. 'Due to this family emergency, I have not been able to train for several days and my condition is not up to what Ecuador deserves, neither physically nor mentally.' The men's road race will conclude the world championship program on Sunday in Zurich, Switzerland.

The 31-year-old Carapaz won the road race at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but was not chosen to compete at the upcoming Paris Games to defend his title. He is the first Ecuadorian to win a grand tour, securing victory at the 2019 Giro d'Italia. Carapaz has also won stages at the Giro, Spanish Vuelta, and Tour de France.

(With inputs from agencies.)