EF Education-EasyPost starts the new cycling season with 29 riders. That was announced by the American team in a press release. Notably: Hugh Carthy will no longer be seen in the distinctive pink jersey in 2026.
The 31-year-old Briton appears to have a contract expiring with Jonathan Vaughters' team and therefore cannot count on an extended stay with the American outfit. In the team's press release, there is not a single word about the climber or where his future now lies.
Carthy has been for years one of the main leaders of EF Education-EasyPost in stage races. He signed at the end of 2016 with the then Cannondale-Drapac Pro Cycling Team and in the following seasons grew into a climber to be reckoned with.
Hugh Carthy struggles on the Angliru - photo: Fotopersburo Cor Vos
He won stages in the Tour de Suisse and the Tour of Burgos, finished twice in the top 10 in the Giro d'Italia (8th in 2021 and 9th in 2022), but above all took third place in the 2020 Vuelta a España. Carthy had to yield only to overall winner Primož Roglič and Richard Carapaz. As a cherry on top, he was also the strongest in the mountain stage finishing on the mythical Alto de l'Angliru.
However, Carthy failed to match, let alone improve upon, his performance in the Vuelta. In recent seasons, top results have been scarce, and the climber slipped down the pecking order. Last year, he started only 39 race days. His last race was the Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica (1.1) in June 2025.
