Richard Carapaz hits ground running in 2021 Volta a Catalunya

MANRESA SPAIN MARCH 26 Adam Yates of United Kingdom and Team INEOS Grenadiers Green Leader Jersey Richard Carapaz of Ecuador and Team INEOS Grenadiers during the 100th Volta Ciclista a Catalunya 2021 Stage 5 a 2015km stage from La Pobla De Segur to Manresa 220m VoltaCatalunya100 on March 26 2021 in Manresa Spain Photo by David RamosGetty Images
Richard Carapaz paces Ineos Grenadiers' teammate Adam Yates on stage 5 of 2021 Volta a Catalunya (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Just four months ago Richard Carapaz (Ineos Grenadiers)  stood on the podium of the Vuelta a España as runner-up behind Primož Roglič (Jumbo-Visma). He may not be at that level yet in the Volta a Catalunya, but he is in the thick of the action all the same in what is his first race of 2021.

Laying 20th overall after stage 5, Carapaz has been a prominent figure on each of the main climbs of Friday’s Volta a Catalunya and the ascent of the first-category Alt de Montserrat was no different, where Carapaz could be seen driving hard at the front of the GC group for race leader and teammate Adam Yates, and in the process almost halving the breakaway’s advantage from four minutes to just over two.

Alasdair Fotheringham

Alasdair Fotheringham has been reporting on cycling since 1991. He has covered every Tour de France since 1992 bar one, as well as numerous other bike races of all shapes and sizes, ranging from the Olympic Games in 2008 to the now sadly defunct Subida a Urkiola hill climb in Spain. As well as working for Cyclingnews, he has also written for The IndependentThe GuardianProCycling, The Express and Reuters.