Richard Carapaz claimed his second career stage win at the Tour de France, delivering an emotional performance on July 20, 2023, as he broke away in the final kilometers of the challenging stage to Orcières-Merlette. The Ecuadorian cyclist finished 45 seconds ahead of Mauro Schmid and Matteo Jorgenson, while Tadej Pogacar retained his lead in the yellow jersey, crossing the line four minutes and 35 seconds later.

Carapaz dedicated this victory to his late mother, who passed away earlier this year. He expressed his gratitude, stating, "It’s been a special day... This is a very beautiful stage that I dedicate to my family."

The stage, covering 185 kilometers from Voiron, saw the fight for the break begin early on the Côte d’Engins. Carapaz formed part of a six-rider group that launched their final ascent together. His decisive attack came four kilometers from the summit, where he managed to outpace his competitors after earlier attempts had been thwarted.

This win marked Carapaz's 25th professional victory and his first since the 2022 Giro d’Italia. He moved up to 10th in the general classification, despite being 21 minutes behind the leader.

Meanwhile, Pogacar's team faced challenges, with Adam Yates struggling due to illness and Brandon McNulty forced to abandon the race. However, Isaac del Toro managed to support Pogacar, keeping the team in the hunt as they approach the pivotal stages at Alpe d’Huez.