A carrier for a catalyst for the epoxidation of an olefin, the carrier obtainable by a method characterized by: forming a mixture consisting of: a) from 50 to 90 % by weight of a first particulate alpha alumina having an average particle size (d 50) of from 10 to 90 micrometers; b) from 10 to 50 % by weight, based on the total alpha alumina weight, of a second particulate alpha alumina having an average particle size (d 50) of from 2 to 6 micrometers; c) from 2 to 5 % by weight of an alumina hydrate; d) from 0.2 to 0.8 % of an amorphous silica compound, measured as silica; e) from 0.05 to 0.3 % of an alkali metal compound measured as the alkali metal oxide; and optionally conventional extrusion aids, burnout material, and/or water; all percentages being based on the total alpha alumina content of the mixture, wherein d 50 is measured after five minutes of sonification and represents the particle diameter at which there are equal volumes of particles larger and smaller than the stated average particle size, and then forming the mixture into particles and firing the particles at a temperature of from 1250 to 1470°C to form the carrier; wherein the carrier comprises at least 95 % alpha alumina, wherein the carrier has a surface area of from 1.0 to 2.6 m 2 /g, as determined by the BET method, and a water absorption of from 35 to 55 %, wherein water absorption is defined as the weight of the water that can be absorbed into the pores of the carrier as a percentage of the total weight of the carrier, the carrier further having pores which are distributed such that at least 70 % of the pore volume is in the form of pores having pore diameters from 0.2 to 10 micrometers and pores with diameters between 0.2 and 10 micrometers provide a volume of at least 0.27 mL/g of the carrier, wherein pore volume and pore size distribution are determined by mercury intrusion under pressures increased by degrees to a pressure of 3.0 x 10 8 Pa, using 130° contact angle and mercury with a surface tension of 0.473 N/m. forming a mixture consisting of: a) from 50 to 90 % by weight of a first particulate alpha alumina having an average particle size (d 50) of from 10 to 90 micrometers; b) from 10 to 50 % by weight, based on the total alpha alumina weight, of a second particulate alpha alumina having an average particle size (d 50) of from 2 to 6 micrometers; c) from 2 to 5 % by weight of an alumina hydrate; d) from 0.2 to 0.8 % of an amorphous silica compound, measured as silica; e) from 0.05 to 0.3 % of an alkali metal compound measured as the alkali metal oxide; and a) from 50 to 90 % by weight of a first particulate alpha alumina having an average particle size (d 50) of from 10 to 90 micrometers; b) from 10 to 50 % by weight, based on the total alpha alumina weight, of a second particulate alpha alumina having an average particle size (d 50) of from 2 to 6 micrometers; c) from 2 to 5 % by weight of an alumina hydrate; d) from 0.2 to 0.8 % of an amorphous silica compound, measured as silica; e) from 0.05 to 0.3 % of an alkali metal compound measured as the alkali metal oxide; and optionally conventional extrusion aids, burnout material, and/or water; all percentages being based on the total alpha alumina content of the mixture, wherein d 50 is measured after five minutes of sonification and represents the particle diameter at which there are equal volumes of particles larger and smaller than the stated average particle size, and then forming the mixture into particles and firing the particles at a temperature of from 1250 to 1470°C to form the carrier; wherein the carrier comprises at least 95 % alpha alumina, wherein the carrier has a surface area of from 1.0 to 2.6 m 2 /g, as determined by the BET method, and a water absorption of from 35 to 55 %, wherein water absorption is defined as the weight of the water that can be absorbed into the pores of the carrier as a percentage of the total weight of the carrier, the carrier further having pores which are distributed such that at least 70 % of the pore volume is in the form of pores having pore diameters from 0.2 to 10 micrometers and pores with diameters between 0.2 and 10 micrometers provide a volume of at least 0.27 mL/g of the carrier, wherein pore volume and pore size distribution are determined by mercury intrusion under pressures increased by degrees to a pressure of 3.0 x 10 8 Pa, using 130° contact angle and mercury with a surface tension of 0.473 N/m.