Rui Costa returns to Tour of Flanders after 14 years: "I love this race because it is super tough and super technical"
Cycling
Rui Costa will be at the start of the Tour of Flanders next year. This is what the Portuguese, who transfered from Intermarché-Circus-Wanty to EF Education-EasyPost this winter, says in conversation with GCN.
"The Tour of Flanders is a yes," confirmed the experienced Costa, who will thus make his third appearance on the Belgian monument. "Cycling is completely different now, so there could be an opportunity for me. I love this race because it is super tough and super technical."
"Experience really helps you in races like the Tour of Flanders. Several riders can win the race these days. We saw that last year with Tadej Pogacar, while Neilson Powless also achieved a good result for my new team."
Jonathan Vaughters, the team manager of EF Education-EasyPost, saw his opportunity and signed Costa. "It's a great team," the latter says. "It's different from Intermarché because it's bigger, but it's a good group. I am impressed with the team so far. It's a great opportunity and it's another year in the WorldTour for me."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- OFF TOPIC: In the new documentary Anatomy of a G.O.A.T. (released in November 2026), legendary Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx spoke about Tadej Pogačar: “He has revived a style of cycling that we had almost forgotten. He is now better than me.” Key statements by Eddy Merckx about Pogačar in 2026: - Acknowledging his superiority: This time, Merckx openly admitted, without any subsequent backtracking or reservations, that Pogačar had surpassed him and was now above him. This contrasts with 2024, when he quickly softened his remarks about Pogačar being faster. - The possibility of a historic treble (Giro, Tour and Vuelta): During the July Tour de France (where Pogačar claimed his fifth title), Merckx stated that Pogačar was the only cyclist in history capable of winning all three Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia, Tour de France and Vuelta a España) in a single season, provided the conditions were right and he had sufficient team support. - Lack of serious competition: Merckx emphasised that Pogačar has no real rivals in the mountains, thanks to his extraordinary climbing ability and the fact that he continues to improve despite still being under 28 (he turned 28, or passed that age, in autumn 2026). - Praise for his racing style: He highlighted how Pogačar is bringing back the aggressive, uncompromising spirit of cycling's golden era, when races were not merely about calculated stages and tactical conservatism, but about attacking from long distances. PS: Now, this is real important cycling news. Capish?PogiSloFans09-11-2026
- how else is there to look at things? we are responding to words and pictures, we are not there. your long winded replies make zero sense to anyone. pretty much everyone but you says the same thing. MS was robbed. somehow you think you're so smart to dig beneath the surface and discover something no one else, including the opposing coach and cyclist, saw. lol. you are a tool.mij09-11-2026
- Pidcock finished 9th place, 29 minutes down. he is a helluva rider, so gutsy. and he is amazing at all disciplines. but this headline is . . .mij09-11-2026
- I know, watch the video. and listen to her competitors. it was a tricky tacky call at best. WTF is this guy talking about??? my original comment was from the picture it didn't look like anything.mij09-11-2026
- I dunno what you're talking about. you make no sense. MS's competitor and the competitors coach said it was BS. she didn't deviate in a way that relegation should be required. revel LOL. you're so cool, in your own mind.mij09-11-2026
- deviation lol, watch the videomij09-11-2026
- the 'No different than women who follow and discuss celebs through gossip magazines' comment was unfortunately a bit off. didn't you just boast about your principles in the comments section of another article?Ketterechts08-11-2026
- Are you MrMauMau 2.0? Nothing you are saying is really relevant. Vaguely connected, but irrelevant. The conversation is whether Schreiber impeded Brand or not.
Rafionain-Glas08-11-2026 - He is boring
leedorney08-11-2026 - To Twoje przemyślenia te bla, bla :)
Dariusz08-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment