'It wasn't the plan' – Richard Carapaz undergoes surgical procedure this week, affirms recovery will not distract from Giro d'Italia in just five weeks

Richard Carapaz, the 2019 Giro d'Italia champion, underwent a surgical procedure in Ecuador this week to address a perineal condition. The EF Education-EasyPost rider confirmed the operation was successful and, crucially, affirmed that his recovery would not impede his preparations for the upcoming Giro d'Italia, which commences in just five weeks. This unexpected medical intervention comes at a critical juncture in his season.

This development casts a slight shadow over Carapaz's Giro ambitions, particularly given his recent return to EF Education-EasyPost with the explicit goal of targeting Grand Tour success. While his team has downplayed the severity and impact, any surgical procedure, however minor, introduces an element of uncertainty into a finely tuned Grand Tour preparation. His form has been building, but this unscheduled stop could disrupt the crucial final block of training and racing.

Carapaz's declaration that it "wasn't the plan" is an understatement. One can only hope his recovery is as swift as his team suggests, because the Giro waits for no man, not even a former champion.