UAE Team Emirates’ Portuguese star Rui Costa finished 14th in Belgium on Sunday, claiming he was not in peak condition to be able to challenge for race victory – which was taken by Movistar’s Alejandro Valverde.
The Spaniard finished ahead of Quick-Step’s Daniel Martin in a mirror result in La Fleche Wallonne earlier in the week.
Having just returned from an altitude training camp in the Mount Etna region of Italy ahead of next month’s Giro d’Italia, Costa said he was never in shape to challenge the duo of Valverde and Martin – despite finishing just 10 seconds adrift.
“Movistar made it tough for us. Always they’re in the front,” said the 30-year-old. “I was not bad. Maybe I missed a little bit with the change of the rhythm as I’d just come back from altitude. You need a few races to get back into the rhythm and be competitive. I needed some races to compete for this sort of race.
“[Valverde and Martin] had competed in the Volta a Catalunya and Tour of the Basque Country so they were in a much higher shape than me.”
With the Giro getting underway on May 5, there are of course bigger concerns for both Costa and the team, and he is able to reflect on the positives from Sunday.
“I am preparing for the Giro and I think we will be able to say more about my shape after one more week,” he added.
#LBL It seams @RuiCostaCyclist is very popular in Belgium. 🇧🇪 😉 pic.twitter.com/13paXdqjqS
— @UAE-TeamEmirates (@TeamUAEAbuDhabi) April 23, 2017
“I feel as if I’m on way to getting back to the form I’ve been looking for. It was disappointing because I love Amstel (Road Race) and this race, but I did a different course to usual because I’m aiming for the Giro.
“I’m disappointed but I knew already that it could be this way and I’m looking at the bigger picture.”
There was better news across Europe for UAE Team Emirates as Sacha Modolo led a UAE one-two on the final Stage 6 of the Tour of Croatia, leading home team-mate Jan Polanc in Zagreb, with Trek – Segafredo’s Boy Van Poppel third – with Bahrain Merida’s Vincenzo Nibali claiming overall victory.
“It’s a silver lining. This is the other side today because we are happy,” said UAE Team Emirates team manager Carlo Soronni.
“Sacha, despite the crash previously, recovered very well and for the Giro it’s a good signal because we need Sacha for the stages. Also Jan was there, second in the stage and fifth overall, so it’s a signal their training camp work in Etna was good.”
It was a big plus for Modolo, who had crashed out of Stage 3 near the finish, having previously won Stage 1.
