Cannondale Pro Cycling Green Machine
Peter Sagan has already drawn comparisons to some of cycling’s greatest riders having burst onto the professional scene with a bang. He’s only in his early twenties but has racked up a catalogue of stage victories that would undoubtedly have some of the more experienced men in the peloton matching the colour of Cannondale Pro Cycling’s kit. Winning the points classifi cation and taking home the Green Jersey on his debut in the
Tour de France in 2012 cemented his reputation as a man to keep an eye on but what makes the young Slovak so special is his versatility which allows him to take points on any kind of stage, whether it be suited to
climbers or sprinters. With the 2013 Tour de France fast approaching many of those in the know have Peter nailed on to defend his Green Jersey so expect to see some of his unusual trademark celebrations.
What made you make the decision to switch from mountain biking to road racing and do you still ride mountain bikes for fun or in training? The decision was made looking at the opportunity I had. Mountain biking was my fi rst love but thanks to road cycling I found the way to write my name into the history of cycling. Liquigas offered me a great chance to become professional and looking at the results, I immediately understood that road racing was my future. In winter I still take the opportunity to have fun with the mountain bike.
Do you feel more pressure to perform now that you have established yourself as one of the riders to watch in the peloton having burst onto the scene in such a dramatic way last year? No, the biggest pressure I felt was in the fi rst year of my professional career. After the wins at Paris-Nice and the Tour of California I understood that the media and the people watching the sport started to expect more from me. Now I know myself better and I’m also more confi dent thanks to my Cannondale Pro Cycling teammates who always do a great job.
How does it make you feel when people in the cycling press make comparisons between you and Eddy Merckx? Of course I’m glad about this, but I don’t want to think too much about it to be honest. Eddy Merckx is the greatest cyclist in history. I’m just a young rider who wants to win a lot and there’s obviously a big difference between us!
The image of professional cycling has obviously taken a beating in recent times. You’re in a unique position to be able to infl uence the sport’s image going forward. How do you want the sport to be seen and what elements would you like to highlight most? First of all I would just like to be myself all the time. I enjoy racing, I love cycling and I ride purely because it’s a passion for me and not just about making money. I think people watch sport to have fun and to be entertained and as professional cyclists we have to present a show to them. I would like people to have confi dence in us and the sport because cycling has really changed.
Who do you see as your biggest threats to the Green Jersey in this year’s Tour de France? I would say Mark Cavendish fi rst of all, but also André Greipel, Matthew Goss and maybe some outsider riders. It will be a hard and closely fought challenge right up until Paris I’m sure.
What were some of the main lessons you took out of your success at last year’s Tour de France and how do you plan to implement those lessons in how you approach the Tour this year? Last year I learnt why the Tour is one of the hardest races on the calendar. With the high level of competitiveness, stress, high race rhythm, and all the riders that want to stay in the front of the race. The fi rst lesson I had was to keep concentration at all times
and never get distracted, second to that, there is no easy day on the Tour. Knowing all of this is fundamental to improving and having a good Tour once again.
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