Rui Costa demonstrated a good shape in Maastrich

The first out of three Ardennes Classics, the Amstel Gold Race, that has seen changed his parcours with the final ascent of the Cauberg removed and a much longer road to get the finishing line, was decided by a two-up sprint won by the Belgian Philip Gilbert on the Polish Kwiatkowski.

Good move from the Portuguese UAE Team Emirates’ rider Rui Costa (in photo, before the start) jumped in the breakaway chasing the leading 7 riders group, with 21 km to go, but they weren’t able to catch them back, and in the finale Rui Costa’s group was caught back by a selected peloton that sprinted-out for the 9th place with a gap of 1’10’’.

“It was a really hard day” said Rui Costa after the race “It was complicated in the final because of a puncture in a critic moment and I spent a lot of energies to come back in the peloton. But I am happy of my shape and I’m already focused on the next Ardennes Classic, the Fleche-Wallone”.

“Rui did a good job, despite the puncture” said Sport Director Marco Marzano “In the race was brilliant even if he has just come back from a mountain training session and it’s a good signal for the next Classics, Fleche-Wallone on Wednesday and Liege-Bastogne-Liege on Sunday. In the main group there were 4 riders of us and I was expecting a little bit more in the final sprint but, honestly, the change of parcours didn’t suit us at the best”.

In the line-up for the Fleche Wallone, UAE Team Emirates confirm Bono, Rui Costa, Mohoric, Mori, Petilli and Ulissi, who will be joined by Meintjes and of Troia, who’ll substitute the injuried Swift.

RACE RESULTS
1- Gilbert 6h31’40”
2- Kwiatkowski s.t.
3- Albasini 10″
4- Haas s.t.
5- Rojas s.t.
27- Ulissi 1’11”
29- Mori s.t., 33- Petilli s.t., 38- Rui Costa s.t., 86- Mohoric 10’26”