Strade Bianche

Rui Costa (4th) achieves our best ever result after a breakaway of Bystrøm

For the second consecutive year, team Intermarché-Circus-Wanty improved its best result in the classic Strade Bianche, thanks to Rui Costa who reached the Piazza del Campo in Siena just outside the podium this Saturday.

Before the Portuguese rider came into play, his teammate Sven Erik Bystrøm brilliantly animated the race in the breakaway, riding more than 100 kilometer in the lead of the race before being caught by the favorites with 30 kilometer to go.

Bystrøm then sacrificed for the former world champion in a group of ten riders, chasing Tom Pidcock. After the eleventh and ultimate gravel section, only four competitors were remaining alongside the Portuguese rider.

In the end, these five riders competed for second place, finishing 20 seconds behind winner Pidcock. By taking fourth place, Costa achieves his best result in four participations to the event.

The 36 year old Portuguese rider pursues his impressive season start, with his victories in the Trofeo Calvia and the Tour of Valencia, his second place in the Faun-Drôme classic, his fourth place in the Figueira Classic and his top ten in the Tour of Algarve.

« It was my fourth participation in the Strade Bianche and undoubtedly also the hardest. The rhythm was intense from the first kilometer. My legs responded well to this intensity and that’s why I’m happy with this fourth place, my best result in this event. I think that it was possible to do even better, because we got closer than 10 seconds to Tom Pidcock but unfortunately the cooperation in the chasing group was not good. Anyway, I would like to thank the team for playing once more a crucial role in my performance. »

RESULTS

General Classification

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