Rui Costa on explosive start to 2023: "This team once again gave me the illusion of being able to fight for victories"

Rui Costa has had his fair share of success over the past decade, but has over the last few years settled into a domestique role with UAE Team Emirates. It had appeared as if he was past the prime of his career, but the move into Intermarché-Circus-Wanty has seen a reborn Costa who has entered 2023 in stellar form.

"We knew it was going to be a short and fast stage, however I managed to stay well positioned until very close to the end, something that allowed me to attack successfully at the end of the run," Costa said in an interview with Ciclo21. "This team once again gave me the illusion of being able to fight for victories and when you work well and things are going well, you can only feel happy!”

This was following his victory at the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana. Costa survived the attacks of the climbers and surged clear in the flat finale into Valencia to steal the GC from the pure climbers in spectacular fashion, taking the stage win aswell. These were his second and third wins of the season, his first stage-race win since the 2017 Abu Dhabi Tour.

However just a couple of weeks before, he took a strong win at the Trofeo Calvia, his first pro win in almost three years. The 36-year old has had a breath of fresh air in his career, and he's part of the Belgian team that currently leads the UCI rankings. Up next in his schedule is a block of racing at home with the Figueira Champions Classic and the Volta ao Algarve where he'll be among the favourites.