EF Education-EasyPost is preparing for an exciting challenge at the 2024 Tour de France. The team, led by Richard Carapaz, aims to secure stage wins despite the Ecuadorian recovering from illness following a crash at the Tour de Suisse.
Carapaz’s build-up to the 2024 Tour de France looked promising with a stage win at the Tour de Romandie in late April. However, he encountered bad luck again in the Tour de Suisse, crashing on stage 4 and sustaining a cut requiring stitches. After dropping out the next day, he fell ill. “After my crash at Suisse, I got sick,” Carapaz said in the teamโs press release. “My form will arrive late, but I will give my best for this Tour de France.”
The American team invested heavily in Carapaz as their Grand Tour contender when they signed him in 2023. Unfortunately, a knee injury from a crash on stage 1 forced him out of the race.
Although the team might not have a rider to rival favourites like Tadej Pogaฤar, Jonas Vingegaard, Primoลพ Rogliฤ, or Remco Evenepoel, Carapaz remains optimistic. “Last year was tough. I had to go home. This year weโre going for it again. Everyone around me knows how much Iโve prepared for this. We have a strong, versatile team. We can win on all sorts of terrain.”
The 2024 Tour de France commences in Florence, Italy, rather than France, due to Paris hosting the Olympic Games. This Grand Dรฉpart is special for Bettiol, as it takes place in his hometown. This will also be his first race in the Italian champion’s jersey, giving him extra motivation.
โItโs going to be very, very special,โ Bettiol said in the team’s announcement. โI know the roads really well. I want to win a stage at the Tour. Iโve been close before and know I can do it. Winning the Italian championship was a goal and another goal is to win a stage in the Tour de France. To win in this jersey would mean a lot to me.โ
Photo Credit: GettyOther Riders
Ben Healy is set to make his Tour de France debut following a successful Giro dโItalia in 2023, where he won a stage. The first stage, featuring a tougher elevation profile than usual, is on his radar. โIโd love to try and win a stage,โ Healy said. โI need a pretty hard day out with a hard finish. Stage 1 looks really good for me, but there are a few towards the end of the second week as well.โ
Neilson Powless, who came close to winning a stage in the Tour de France in 2022, has struggled with a knee injury that kept him out of competition for two months. โI think this was probably the hardest year Iโve had yet with injuries and illnesses,” Powless said. “Winning a stage is my first and foremost goal, and I think Iโve got the fitness to do it. Itโs just about getting it right on the day, just following the right moves and using my energy wisely.โ
After his victory in the Portuguese championships, Rui Costa is also aiming for a stage win following a tough spring. He crashed in February at the Volta ao Algarve, suffering a concussion along with a broken collarbone and scapula. Costa shared, โI went through a lot after my crash this spring. I worked very hard to get fit for the Tour and to get selected for it. In the end, it worked out and Iโm super grateful for the selection and that the team believes in me.โ
EF Education-EasyPost 2024 Tour de France Line-Up
EF Education-EasyPost will field the following riders for the 2024 Tour de France:
- Alberto Bettiol
- Stefan Bissegger
- Richard Carapaz
- Rui Costa
- Ben Healy
- Neilson Powless
- Sean Quinn
- Marijn van den Berg
