Rui Costa will leave Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, after a one-year contract. The cyclist from Póvoa de Varzim had a good year with the Belgian team, winning a stage in the Vuelta a España, as well as the General Classification of the Vuelta a Comunitat Valenciana and the Trofeo Calvia in Spain.
Rui Costa will leave Intermarché-Circus-Wanty after one year of contract. The cyclist from Póvoa de Varzim had a successful year with the Belgian team, winning a stage of the Vuelta a España, as well as the General Classification of the Vuelta a Comunitat Valenciana and the Trofeo Calvia in Spain.
However, after the announcement of the team’s budget reduction for the 2024 season, as revealed by sponsor Circus, it would make it impossible for Rui to stay with the Belgian squad.
Circus
Circus is a well-known Belgian betting website, which, due to a law in the country restricting the sponsorship of betting sites for sports teams starting in 2025, will have its promotion severely limited. Movements within the country even aim to ban such involvement starting in 2028.
A new team will be announced next week
According to his manager João Correia, in an interview with the Portuguese newspaper O Jogo, Rui Costa was happy with the team: “We hoped for the best. Rui liked the team, and the team liked Rui. We had to decide, however hard it was. He will be in a team that will give him opportunities.” He also revealed that the announcement of the new team is expected to be made next week.
“Unfortunately, age is now a problem when negotiating in the World Tour because all teams want the next big young talent. Changing at 37 is more complicated, but Rui has shown that he is one of the best cyclists in the world. He had options, and we believe that, in terms of sports, this is the best option. He will have freedom,” Correia concluded.
