Reigning world champion Portuguese Rui Costa welcomes his new team-mate and 2013 Vuelta a España winner Chris Horner, who has signed a contract with Lampre-Merida for 2014. In an interview with Velonews, Costa says that it is very important for the team to have such a good rider.

“For our team, it’s very important for us,” Costa told VeloNews. “Everyone knows that he’s a great rider, so it’s good news for our team that he is arriving. We hope to see him racing soon with us.”

Last week, Lampre-Merida confirmed that they have signed a contract with the 42-year old American, who has been struggling with finding a new team. He was told by RadioShack Leopard Trek that he was too expensive for the team and that he had to find a new team. He was in negotiations with teams like Christina-Watches Kuma and Caja Rural, but ended up with the Italians.  

General manager Brent Copeland told VeloNews that Horner would a great team-mate for Costa. Rui Costa will be focusing on the spring classics and Tour de France, while Horner will make a Giro-Vuelta double this year.

Costa said that even though they’ll be racing the same races, they will work together as team-mates do and go for the win instead of racing each other.

“Even if we do go to the same races, we are teammates and we will race like that, but in principle, our schedules will be complementary to one another,” Costa said. “He will do the Giro and Vuelta, while I will focus on the Tour.”

He says the team is very positive and calm about the Tour and how far he can reach in the GC. He has never raced the GC before, but has won several stages in the race. Last year he won two stages in Tour de France.

“For the Tour, we are calm. We’ll see how far I can go,” Costa said. “I have never raced for the GC in the Tour before, so it’s an unknown. The most important thing is to prepare for it in the manner possible.”

Costa is feeling very well in Dubai and is very honoured about wearing the rainbow jersey. He hopes to take some victories in the jersey.

“I am feeling very good here in Dubai, with the world champion’s jersey, I can enjoy it in another manner. I had a good winter, and I am looking forward to the rest of the season,” he said. “Every race is going to be important for me this season in the world champion jersey. I want to honor the jersey, I want to race aggressively, and hopefully win some races.”