Richard Karapas has revealed that he will miss this year's Tour de France and will spend some time at home in Ecuador at high altitude before setting his sights on the Vuelta a España.

The Ineos Grenadiers rider finished second behind Jai Hindley (Bora-Hansgrohe) in the Giro d'Italia, losing Maria Rosa on the final mountain stage to Marmolada but defending his podium position in the final time trial to Verona.

Calapaz finished third in the 2021 Tour de France and won gold in the road race at the Tokyo Olympics. However, he always aspired to skip this year's Tour de France. Ineos Grenadier is expected to name Adam Yates and Dani Martinez as team leaders, with Tom Pidcock, Ethan Hayter, and Geraint Thomas also on the long list of riders competing in the Grand Boucle.

Karapas is happy to be home in July and looking to win his third Grand Tour of the season; the 2022 Vuelta a España will start in August in Utrecht, Netherlands, and end on September 11 in Madrid.

"That's the main goal. Before that, there is the possibility of running a small stage race like the Tour de Pollogne. Before that, there is the possibility of doing a small stage race like the Tour de Pollogne. After that, I will do some classics and finish the season," Carapaz said at a press conference upon his return to Ecuador from Europe.

Despite losing to Hindley after spending six days in Maglia Rosa at the Giro d'Italia, Karapas did not consider the defeat a disappointment.

"It was a pretty competitive Giro. Some days were better than others, but I always wanted to win 100%," he claimed.

Carapaz won the 2019 Giro d'Italia and wore the maglia rosa longer than any other South American, but that was little consolation. His interest is rather in results. He has ridden nine Grand Tours and has been on the podium four times.

"It's not the numbers that matter most," he suggested, "but the way they are won.

"I think my performance is very big. There are four or five [Grand Tour] riders at the world level and I am among them. My greatest pride is that I can be among the best."

29 years old

Carapaz, 29, is from Calci, a northern region at an altitude of 3,000 meters near the Colombian border, and trains at home before big goals to spend more time with his young family He prefers to train at home before big goals in order to spend more time with his young family.

"I will be in the country for about a month, but I will stay at home in the Karcz region for training," Karapas said. 'It's a place I like very much and I always stay there to train. It's my favorite place."

Kalapas' contract with Ineos Grenadiers runs through this year and he will decide his future in the near future. He may stay with Ineos Grenadiers, return to Movistar, or move to Arkea Samsic as the British superteam develops a new generation of young riders.