Richard Carapaz happy with Tour de France podium but admits Tadej Pogačar is 'very difficult' to beat

The Ecuadorian has now finished in the top-three of all the Grand Tours

Richard Carapaz
(Image credit: Getty)

Richard Carapaz has admitted his pride in finishing third at the 2021 Tour de France, but confessed that being able to win the race would have required a monumental effort.

The Ineos Grenadiers rider will ride into Paris on Sunday comfortably in third-place, 2-59 better off than Ben O'Connor of AG2R Citroën in fourth but 1:43 adrift of Jonas Vingegaard of Jumbo Visma in second.

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Chris Marshall-Bell

A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and feature writing across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013.


Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in a number of places, but mostly in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.


He lives in Valencia, Spain.