Peter Sagan ready to live 100 years after 100th pro victory
World champion also marks sixth career win on Canadian soil
After Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) took his second consecutive victory at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec and his 100th career professional win, the question came quickly, “What does this victory mean to you?”
The world champion’s response, which are famously brief and quirky, responded, “Maybe it’s better to live 100 years than to have 100 victories.”
Sagan’s victories are numerous and varied. He’s won bunch sprints in California and at the Tour de Suisse, he’s taken eight stages at the Tour de France, he’s twice won the world championship road title and he’s won one Monument at the 2016 Tour of Flanders. Additionally, six of Sagan’s victories have come on Canadian soil. He has three victories at the Tour of Alberta all coming in 2013. He won the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montreal that same year. Last year Sagan won in Quebec and he repeated that feat in a similar manner in 2017.
When prompted to elaborate on the importance of the victory, Sagan explained that though victory was nice, “Now I have to win 200 and if I do that I need to live 200 years,” he said with a smile and a laugh.
Wearing a pair of 100% ski goggles around his neck with 1st written in big on the lens, the world champion stepped on the stage in Quebec City to a roar from the crowd. The situation similar to last year with Olympic champion Greg Van Avermaet in second. Michael Matthews (Team Sunweb) who won the green jersey at the Tour de France ending Sagan’s five year streak in that competition was third. The Belgian and Australian are surely going to be two of the riders who will challenge Sagan at worlds.
When asked whether the pair of Canadian one-day races were the best preparation for his world title defense, Sagan responded, “Every year is different, I still don’t know what is the best preparation. Once I did Vuelta nine stages, last year was different schedule with the Olympic Games, other races were a little bit later. This year is different. I don’t know what is the best preparation, maybe the best rider is going to win.”
Sagan’s season was disrupted when he was kicked out of the Tour de France after the jury decided controversially that he deviated his line in the sprint on Stage 4 having picked up a win the day before on Stage 3. While this could have proven to be a distraction, Sagan refocused with worlds front and centre.
After a short break, Sagan resumed his winning ways at the Tour de Pologne and at the BinkBank Tour but the coveted win he is now seeking is surely in Bergen where he will go for three consecutive rainbow jerseys.
His form will once again be tested in Montreal were the total elevation gain is more demanding. He won solo in 2013 attacking on the short punchy climb on Polytechnique. Like his response about his symbolic 100th victory, he said that a win on Sunday in Montreal isn’t front and centre today. “We think about Montreal Sunday morning…Hopefully yes,” Sagan finally added.
