Starting and finishing with victories: In 2023, Rui Costa achieved this feat on behalf of the Intermarché-Circus-Wanty team. In January, he began his cycling season with a win at the Trofeo Calvia. Today, he concludes a successful year by triumphing in the Japan Cup.
This Sunday, Rui Costa won the 30th edition of the Japan Cup. The 37-year-old Portuguese cyclist overcame Felix Engelhardt and Guillaume Martin in an exciting sprint in the 1.Pro race, covering just under 134 kilometers. The former world champion expressed great satisfaction with this victory.
“Winning this Japan Cup has a special meaning for me,” he began his story on his team’s social media.
“I started the year by winning my first race at the Mallorca Challenge in January, and now I’ve won my last race in Japan. Just like back then, it was a very tough day due to the cold and persistent rain. I also had to compete against tough competitors, which made it challenging.”
However, Costa apparently handled his two fellow escapees with ease and thus crowned a successful season. “I am happy with this victory and also for being able to give the team its twentieth victory in 2023.”
EF Education EasyPost in 2024
The Japan Cup was also his last race for Intermarché-Circus-Wanty. Earlier this week, Rui Costa’s agent announced that his athlete will not ride for the Belgian team in 2024 and that the Portuguese had already signed a contract with another team. According to the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, this team is the American EF Education-EasyPost. The Danish newspaper writes that Costa has already signed a contract with Jonathan Vaughters’ team.