The 26-year-old, who rides for the Movistar team, timed 51 minutes, 57.58 seconds to easily make up the 13-second gap between him and overnight leader Mathias Frank of Switzerland.
"This has been as perfect a day as it could be," beamed Costa.
"It was touching to see how many Portuguese fans turned out to encourage me and I have to thank my team-mates for riding so well throughout the race and setting up this great finale for me."
Frank, who had led the race since the third stage, faded badly to finish fifth overall and was virtually inconsolable after he crossed the line.
Dutchman Bauke Mollema finished second overall, over a minute in arrears of Costa, while Czech Republic rider Roman Kreuziger filled the final spot on the podium.
Costa, whose most notable win prior to last year's Tour of Switzerland triumph was a stage win in the 2011 Tour de France, steadily built up the pace and was especially impressive on the second-half of the stage.
CYCLING
Portugal’s Costa wins Tour of Switzerland again
Portuguese rider Rui Costa won his second successive Tour of Switzerland cycling race on Sunday after an impressive ride in the ninth and final stage, a 26.8-kilometre time-trial in Flumserberg.
CYCLING
Swiss rider dies after fall into ravine on Tour of Switzerland
Swiss rider Gino Maeder has died from the injuries he sustained when he plunged into a ravine during a stage of the Tour of Switzerland, his team Bahrain-Victorious said on Friday.
Maeder, 26, fell during a high-speed descent on the fifth stage between Fiesch and La Punt on Thursday, after an exhausting day marked by three ascents over 2,000 metres altitude.
He had been found “lifeless in the water” of a ravine below the road, “immediately resuscitated then transported to the hospital in Chur by air”, organisers said.
But the next day, “Gino lost his battle to recover from the serious injuries he sustained,” Bahrain-Victorious said in a statement.
“It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we must announce the passing of Gino Mäder,” his team wrote in a statement.
“On Friday June 16th, following a very serious fall during the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse, Gino lost his fight to recover from the serious injuries he had suffered. Our entire team is devastated by this tragic accident, and our thoughts and prayers are with Gino’s family and loved ones at this incredibly difficult time.”
“Despite the best efforts of the phenomenal staff at Chur hospital, Gino couldn’t make it through this, his final and biggest challenge, and at 11:30am we said goodbye to one of the shining lights of our team,” the team said in a statement.
🙏🏻 Gino, thank you for the light, the joy, and the laughs you brought us all, we will miss you as a rider and as a person.
❤️ Today and every day, we ride for you, Gino.
🔗 https://t.co/CSx5BsWfRz pic.twitter.com/caBmfmWwyg
— Team Bahrain Victorious (@BHRVictorious) June 16, 2023
Maeder had enjoyed a strong start to the season, finishing fifth in the Paris-Nice race.
American rider Magnus Sheffield also fell on the same descent from Albula, during the most difficult stage of the race with multiple climbs. The Ineos-Grenadiers rider was hospitalised with “bruises and concussion,” organisers said.
On Thursday, world champion Remco Evenepoel criticised the decision to compete on such a dangerous road.
“While a summit finish would have been perfectly possible, it wasn’t a good decision to let us finish down this dangerous descent,” the Belgian wrote on Twitter.
“As riders, we should also think about the risks we take going down a mountain.”
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