Rui Costa wins the Tour of the Valencian Community after winning the last leg

The Portuguese cyclist Rui Costa (Intermarché-Circus-Wanty) won the fifth and final stage of the Tour of the Valencian Community this Sunday and also became the general of the Spanish race.

The 36-year-old Portuguese runner added his second win of the season this Sunday after winning the Trofeo Calvià on his debut in the colors of the Belgian team, beating Dutchman Thimen Arensman (INEOS) in the final. kilometers between Paterna and Valencia.

The Italian Samuele Battistella (Astana) became the third in the race, already seven seconds behind the Portuguese, and more than 20 seconds before the general podium of the previous day.

Thanks to the bonuses he accumulated on the stage, which he completed in 2:07.16 hours, as well as the difference with the previous leader, Italian Giulio Ciccone (Trek-Segafredo), and the men who preceded him overall, Rui Costa moved up five positions in the classification and won the final victory at the Tour of the Valencian Community.

The 2013 long distance world champion dropped Ciccone, who was fifth on the stage, 21 seconds back, to a final second place. The Italian was 16 seconds behind the Portuguese, while Spaniard Pello Bilbao (winning Bahrain) finished third with 23rd.

The seasoned Portuguese cyclist’s shrewd race brought him another triumph in his debut year at the Belgian Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, opening the season with a first place in the Calvià Trophy in Mallorca, followed by another win on Spanish soil. now in the 74th edition of the race with history in the “neighboring” country.

“It was a very difficult day, with anticipation [em subida] too difficult for me and my characteristics. I set my own pace, knew how to cope well, joined the group on the descent and wanted to join the fight for the stage and for the general,” said the athlete, already on the podium, to receive a prize for the victory.

At 36, he boasts “a lot of wins” but “winning this very famous race” on the calendar gives him “very much” motivation.

This “double” achievement brings the veteran to 30 wins at the professional level, who joins three stages of the Tour de France, three Tours of Switzerland (in succession), the Tour of Abu Dhabi in 2017, the last stage he won. , Montreal Grand Prix and others.

The Portuguese cyclist’s next targets are the Figueira Champions Classic, a race on the international calendar that will debut in Portugal, followed by the Volta ao Algarve, moving on to several classic races throughout the spring on its way to the Tour de France.