Home > News

Sagan wins inaugural European Championships men’s road race

World Champ outsprints Alaphilippe and Moreno

September 18, 2016
Share on SMS

World Champion, Tour de France green jersey for the fifth consecutive year, Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec winner and now European Champion–Peter Sagan has had a storied 12-month streak. On Sunday the gregarious Slovak took the first ever European Championship’s men’s road race in Plumerec, France, edging out Julian Alaphilippe (France) and Spanish vet Daniel Moreno in a sprint.


The riders had 17-laps of a 14-km circuit to negotiate, each lap containing the Côte de Cadoudal climb.


Four riders shuffled away and pulled out a 9:20 lead by the third lap. By the midway point, the gap was reduced to 8:00 as France and Italy led the chase.

With 80-km to go, the breakaway split and attacks started to flare off the front of the peloton. The last fugitive standing found a chase sweeping him up with 48-km to go. This new 19-man break contained two Italians, Fabio Aru and Davide Villela. But the Belgians reunited the escapees with the peloton.

At the 22-km to go mark, three Belgians including Philippe Gilbert made a promising move. This too was reigned in. The next surge came from Italian Moreno Moser, who built up a 30-second gap on the final circuit.


As soon as Moser was brought to heel with a kilometre of Côte de Cadoudal’s 6% remaining, his teammate Villela went, forcing Belgium and Poland to chase. Sagan waited for Moreno to lead out and then hit the gas for the victory. France had three riders in the top-10.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnURt8lQeJU

2016 European Road Championships Elite Men’s Race
1) Peter Sagan (Slovakia) 5:34:23
2) Julian Alaphilippe (France) s.t.
3) Daniel Moreno (Spain) s.t.