Richard finished the Giro d’Italia more motivated than ever and had his sights set on the Tour de France. But last week, he began experiencing abdominal pain and a high fever. He underwent several rounds of tests that revealed a gastrointestinal infection, which was confirmed by additional scans and imaging. The medical staff in Ecuador started him on antibiotics and medication to manage the pain and fever.

Our medical team, together with his doctors in Ecuador, have advised against long-haul travel and competition at this time. As a result, Richard will not take part in this year’s Tour de France.

“We’re all gutted for Richard,” said Jonathan Vaughters, EF Pro Cycling founder and CEO. “He came out of the Giro with amazing form and was setting career-high power numbers in training. He sacrificed a lot to get to that level, so the timing really couldn’t be worse. We know how much the Tour means to him, so to lose him this close to the race is a real blow. He’s a champion in every sense, and knowing him, I have no doubt this setback will only motivate him to come back stronger.”

The prognosis for a full and swift recovery is good. Richard will take a few weeks off to let his body fully recover from the infection and then, once cleared, will resume his training. His goal? Win the Vuelta a España.

Everyone at EF Pro Cycling wishes Richie a speedy recovery. We look forward to having our Ecuadorian condor back soon.