Richard Carapaz: ‘Thirst for revenge’ for a ‘bittersweet debut at the Pan American Games’? The international press is focused on the Ecuadorian cyclist

Roberto Espinoza Mogro, special envoy

SANTIAGO

the newspaper Los Angeles Times announced, after Richard Carapaz’s silver medal in the time trial at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago, that it was a “bittersweet debut” for the Ecuadorian cyclist, even though he was competing in the modality in which he is the 2019 Giro d’Italia champion. he is not a specialist.

Richard Carapaz, Olympic champion from Ecuador, among the stars who will fight for gold at the Pan American Games

From the previous Sunday’s presentation, the United States newspaper commented that Carapaz “was relegated to second place in the time trial final at Isla del Maipo, a rural suburb one hour from Santiago. Carapaz, 30, finished the test with a time of 47 minutes, 36 seconds and 02 hundredths, 33.30 seconds more than the Colombian Walter Vargas, the new Pan American champion. The bronze went to Conor White from Bermuda.”

Richard Carapaz, in perfect physical condition to fight for gold at the Pan American Games in Santiago 2023

For Los Angeles Times “The Carchi locomotive lost power on the last lap.” However, he adds that “Carapaz will get his revenge next Sunday (October 29) when he takes to the track in a road race, his specialty.” And there is already a great expectation to see the current Olympic champion in action in that discipline.

Richard Carapaz, in perfect physical condition to fight for gold at the Pan American Games in Santiago 2023

No obligation to win

“I have no obligation (to win), but I have a nice opportunity and I will not waste it,” Carapaz said in Santiago, to relieve the pressure. for the chain Antenna 2from Colombia, the vision of the tricolor is different from that of the Californian media, on the assessment of what Carapaz did in the Santiago Pan American Chronometer.

Richard Carapaz is causing a stir in the Chilean city over his participation in the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago.

“The result showed the good momentum of his legs. However, the circumstances are different for Sunday’s gran fondo race: a street course of nine laps (157.5 km in total), in the Metropolitan Park of Santiago, which includes the climb of San Cristóbal Hill, at 758 km. meters above sea level,” say the coffee growers.

Silver for Ecuador! Richard Carapaz wins a time trial medal at the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago

Factors in favor

According to the analysis of Antenna 2 “The climb can benefit from a climber like Carapaz, who will also have the help of Sebastián Novoa and a trusted man, Jhonatan Narváez, his former teammate in the British team Ineos Grenadiers.”

Rain is forecast for that day, which increases the complexity of the course, which has sharp turns and several flat surfaces, according to the Games’ organization.

for the channel France24“second place is a salve for the leader of the American EF Education-EasyPost team, whose hopes of winning this season’s grand tours have faded due to a crash in the first stage of the last Tour de France.” (D)