Rui Costa’s absence came as a big surprise on the list released this Monday.
Rui Costa (Emirates of the United Arab Emirates) clarified this Monday that he will be absent from the Road Cycling World Championships of his choice, arguing that the long-distance circuit does not match his specifications.
The absence of Rui Costa came as a big surprise on the list of teams released this Monday for the World Cup, which will take place from Sunday to 26 September in the Belgian region of Flanders. the official page on the social network Facebook, why not take part in the competition, which closes the competition.
“I will not go to the World Cup of my choice because the layout does not match my specifications. I asked the coach. [José Poeira] “To make my seat accessible, to give another runner the opportunity to serve our country better than me,” explained the 34-year-old cyclist.
A UAE runner from the Emirates, who finished 18th in the endurance race at the European Championships in Trento on Sunday, four places behind his compatriot João Almeida, stressed that “representing Portugal is also a responsibility aside from pride.” …
“And the interests of the country should always come first than personal interests,” he said.
The cross-country route for elite men, the highlight of the 100th World Cup, is a replica of the classic Flanders, one of the most typical and famous regions of world cycling, with a length of 268.3 km. between Antwerp and Leuven, with short and steep climbs and several pavé sections.
The Portugal elite men’s national team will continue to lead João Almeida (Deceuninck-QuickStep), echoing Nelson Oliveira (Movistar), Rafael Reis (Efapel), Ruben Guerreiro (EF Education-Nippo) and Rui Oliveira (Emirates of the United Arab Emirates). attendance in connection with the European Championship last week.
New is the entry of André Carvalho (Kofidis) to the 2013 World Champion in Sextet, who will face a serious test on the last day of the race.
Nelson Oliveira and Rafael Reis will represent Portugal in the 43.3 km individual time trial between Knokke-Heist and Bruges, which opens the World Championship on Sunday.
