Rui Costa still on the transfer market as veteran fights to keep his WorldTour career alive

Former world champion and four-time Grand Tour stage winner Rui Costa remains on the transfer market for 2024, despite enjoying one of his most successful seasons in years.

The 37-year-old won his maiden Vuelta a España stage just last month before following that up with fifth at the recent Gran Piemonte. Coupled with a strong start to the season that included fourth at Strade Bianche and a stage and the overall at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, the veteran has shown consistent spells of competitiveness.

Read more: Vuelta a España stage 15: Rui Costa sprints to victory from breakaway

During the Vuelta, the Intermarché-Circus-Wanty rider indicated his desire to remain within the WorldTour for at least another season, and his wish to stay with his current employers. However, almost a month on and the Portuguese rider remains a free agent for 2024.

"I am still working on Rui's future and it's my highest priority right now,” his agent João Correia told GCN.

“We would prefer to stay with Intermarché but the already public challenges the team is facing has put a wrench in negotiations and we are waiting and hoping the team can find a solution.”

The team’s CEO Jean-François Bourlaert recently blamed sponsorship issues for the delaying of staff and rider wages. At the same time, Circus is expected to half their investment in the team by around 50 percent next year. The team has only signed three new riders for the upcoming campaign, with all three of the riders moving up from the lower ranks and outside of the WorldTour.

“I know Rui is a priority for them as well,” Correia added.

Read more: Pro cycling transfers – every move for the 2024 season

The recent on-off merger talks between Soudal Quick-Step and Jumbo-Visma haven’t helped matters. The well publicised merger, which is now reportedly off the table, effectively froze the transfer market for almost every free agent as rival teams waited to see who might have become available from the fallout.

“Although we have held talks with a few teams, there has been nothing concrete and the Soudal Quick-Step situation is affecting the market since its frozen transfers amongst all the teams.”

Correia understandably believes that his client can still offer WorldTour teams a wealth of experience and horsepower, and the rider’s results this season certainly back that up.

“Rui has shown this year that he is still as eager as ever and can perform at the highest level.  With over 1300 UCI points and the 50th highest ranked rider in the world he's a value to most teams.  We saw at the Vuelta and in Piemonte that he is as motivated as ever and remains above all else professional."