Rui Costa crossed the finish line at the end of the 133.9 kilometers completed on the Utsunomiya circuit, ahead of German Felix Engelhardt (Jayco AlUla), who finished second with the same 03:28.22 as the winner. Frenchman Guillaume Martin (Cofidis) finished third, two seconds behind.
“Winning the Japanese Cup is special for me. In January I won my first race of the season in Mallorca [Trofeo Calvià]. Nine months later I won my last race of the season in Japan. It is also the twentieth victory for my team in 2023. I am happy and proud,” said the 2013 world long distance champion.
The 37-year-old Poveiro returned to the highest level of the international peloton this year and achieved five victories: in addition to the Trofeo Calvià and the Japanese Cup, he won a stage in the Tour of Spain and overall in the Tour of the Valencian Community, where he also won a stage.
Upon parting ways with Intermarché-Circus-Wanty, with which he did not reach a renewal agreement despite the successes of 2023, Rui Costa is expected to announce his next team in the coming days.
Source: DN
