Costa eyes podium finish at Tour De Romandie
ABU DHABI: UAE Team Emirates’ Rui Costa has his sights irmly set on a forth podium inish in the General Classiication at this year’s Tour de Romandie which gets underway from April 24 to 29th. The Portuguese rider is full of conidence after a series of strong performances in the Ardennes Classics and is now hoping to add to his impressive palmares, which already includes third place inishes at the Swiss race in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
Team-mate Dan Martin also returns to the Tour de Romandie after last riding the stage race in 2015.
The duo head to Switzerland from Belgium, fresh off the back of Liege-bastogne-liege, a race in which UAE Team Emirates performed extremely well, controlling the peloton for long sections of the 256km route. Unfortunately luck was not on the side of Irishman Martin, who suffered a puncture whilst chasing down the breakaway with a select group of riders. The misfortune happened with only 8kms to go, preventing the team’s leader from closing the gap and contending another podium finish at the biggest monument of the season. The race was eventually won by Luxemburger Bob Jungels (Quick Step), who shot free before the finish line and took the top spot ahead of Canadian Michael Woods (Team EF) and Frenchman Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale).
Martin and Costa will be joined in Romandie by leading Columbian climber Darwin Atapuma, Kristijan Durasek, Roberto Ferrari, Anass Ait El Abdia and Matteo Bono - who was also part of their Ardennes Classics campaign.
The team will be led by Sports Directors Simone Pedrazzini and Bruno Vicino.
Commenting ahead of the tour, Rui Costa said: “I’m going to Romandie after the Ardennes Classics, it’s a pairing that I’ve done a lot in the past and it’s allowed me to get on the podium three times. Usually, after Liège-bastogne-liege, my condition is good, which gives me the confidence to battle for the overall victory as well as trying to win a stage. I hope that’s the case again this year.”