Rui Oliveira: “I won in the most beautiful place in the world!” | OneFootball

Rui Oliveira claimed the first international victory of his career and celebrated on the podium in Porto wearing an FC Porto shirt. His debut in the Volta a Portugal could not have ended in a better way.

“I’m beside myself. I had the whole team supporting me and, if there was a better way to win, to take my first victory, it was at home, in Porto and Gaia!” exclaimed the 29-year-old rider from Gaia after triumphing in Invicta and sending thousands of people into raptures.

The UAE Emirates cyclist came out on top in a thrilling finish and even received applause from the runner-up, Daniel Cavia, who crossed the line a few metres later. “It was a very hard day for everyone, but I wanted to fight today, for everyone who is here. If someone had told me it would be like this, I wouldn’t have believed it. And on top of that, dressed in orange,” said Rui Oliveira, who greeted several riders and surprised everyone by stepping onto the podium wearing an FC Porto shirt, to the delight of the fans on Avenida dos Aliados.

“It’s the most beautiful place in the world! The day I found out the Volta was going to end here, I spoke to my team, I told Joxean Matxin it was the stage I had in mind. I wanted to achieve victory in front of everyone who loves me. I’m living a dream,” he concluded.

Among those present was Iúri Leitão, ready to embrace the teammate with whom Rui Oliveira won the Olympic madison title in Paris 2024. “This was it! It was written that it had to be today, it had to be here. Every story deserves a happy ending and Rui, over these 11 days, did everything to write this happy ending. Today he did it in the best possible way, at home,” said the Caja Rural-RGA rider, who did not take part in this year’s Volta.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.