Simon Carr finally gets his 'nice moment': British rider takes first win for EF at the Tour of the Alps
After going close on stage two, the EF Education-Easy Post rider grabbed victory on stage five in Brunico, but will not be heading to the Giro d'Italia


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
It has been a long time coming. After two years and four months racing in the pink of EF Education-EasyPost, Simon Carr took his first victory for the American squad on Friday at the Tour of the Alps.
The 24-year old took his win after spending 82km in the breakaway on a rain-affected stage five to Brunico, in northeast Italy. It is the second win of his career, after victory at the Prueba Villafranca-Ordiziako Klasika while riding for Nippo Delko One Provence back in 2020.
After being cruelly caught by the peloton on stage two this week, the climber, born in Hereford but raised in Occitanie in the South of France, explained his huge sense of relief at grabbing his second-ever professional win.
“It was a really tough day today,” Carr said. “Also it’s been a while since my first win, so not just today, but there’s been a lot of races where I’ve been trying to get there. When you finally succeed, then it's such a nice moment.”
Carr has often come alive in the mountains. When he launched a solo move out of the day's breakaway on the tough Mühlbach climb, he showed no signs of being affected by the injuries and illness that hampered his last two years of racing.
“I think any win is really important, I had a good start with this team in 2021, and last year wasn’t so good with illness and injury,” he added. “I’ve been coming back strong this year, and already in the Volta a Catalunya, and then a month ago I was feeling good in a few breakaways, so then there were a good few opportunities, I just wanted to seize those and of course, it has now paid off.”
The EF Education-EasyPost rider will not be riding the Giro d’Italia in support of Hugh Carthy, and will also skip the Tour de France, but is on the cards to head to the Vuelta a España in August. Instead, he will be looking to build on this momentum at smaller races.
“I’ve done two Giro’s in the past, I think for me this year it was more important to focus on some non-WorldTour races and try and get some wins in those,” he said. “That was the goal. So hopefully not going to the Giro will mean I have more opportunities to win again.”
“The next goal for me is the Route d’Occitanie. It’s where I grew up, so I really want to do well there and maybe test my GC legs.”
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Tom is a News and Features Writer at Cycling Weekly, and previously worked in communications at Oxford Brookes University. He has reported from a wide range of races and events including the Tour de France and World Championships.
-
-
When is Black Friday 2023 and how to find the best bike deals
We're already seeking out the best money saving cycling deals in the run up to Black Friday
By Anna Marie Abram Published
-
CW Asks: What three things do you wish you'd known when you first started cycling?
What we wish we had known when we first started cycling.
By Anne-Marije Rook Published
-
‘Infectious positivity’ helped Jack Rootkin-Gray earn his first WorldTour ride with EF Education-EasyPost
Brit to make WorldTour debut in 2024 with Jonathan Vaughters managed American team
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
AG2R Citroën rider disqualified from Giro d'Italia after tramadol positive
Alex Baudin has results stripped but is not suspended from racing
By Adam Becket Published
-
James Shaw high on confidence after ‘big day out’ at Tour de France on stage six
British rider impressed in the high Pyrenees and says his stock value will have gone up after day in the breakaway alongside Wout van Aert and Julian Alaphilippe
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'The Tour de France wasn't part of the plan' - James Shaw's unlikely route to the world's biggest race
‘I came back from the Dauphiné in the best shape I’ve ever been in’ - the 27-year-old believes impressive recent form earned him a place in EF’s Tour squad
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger' - Michael Valgren on getting through injury and returning to racing
Danish rider lifts the lid on his long layoff, missing the Tour de France Grand Départ in Copenhagen and being inspired by Lizzie Deignan and Remco Evenepoel
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Geraint Thomas 'helps a brother out', aiding Mark Cavendish's valedictory Giro d'Italia stage win
Cavendish now has one final Giro stage win. Will he get one final Tour de France equivalent in July?
By Adam Becket Published
-
Who's leading the Giro d'Italia 2023 after stage 21?
Primož Roglič seales overall victory in the general classification
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Giro d'Italia live: Alberto Dainese wins stage 17 in tight photo finish
It will almost definitely be a sprint in Caorle at the end of the day
By Adam Becket Published