Richard Carapaz of Ecuador celebrates winning gold. REUTERS/Matthew Childs/File Photo
Olympic road race champion Richard Carapaz will ride the Vuelta a Espana on a gold-painted bike to celebrate his Tokyo victory.
His Ineos Grenadiers team unveiled the new paint job on his Pinarello bike on Thursday, ahead of the start of the Grand Tour this weekend in Burgos.
Carapaz, a former winner of the Giro d'Italia, produced a sensational finishing burst in the Olympic road race, soloing to victory at the Fuji Speedway after dropping his rivals.
He became only the second Ecuadorean to win an Olympic gold after Jefferson Perez in the 20km walk at Atlanta 1996.
Carapaz will be one of three leaders in the Ineos team along with Colombia's Egan Bernal and Britain's Adam Yates.
"It is true that we have several options for the general classification, but it will be the road that puts everyone in their place," Carapaz told a news conference.
Carapaz said that if he cannot challenge for the general classification his next aim will be a stage win.
"I have not yet won stages in the Vuelta, I hope that this year the opportunity will come for me," he said. "It is something that I will try, because it is another of my objectives."
