The day before the start, it was a big halo, but the development of the race showed where the truth is. In the mountain biking community, the prevailing opinion is that justice has been – at least partially – served.
Photo: ČTK / Červený Michal
Peter Sagan on the track of the cross country World Cup in mountain biking.
Mathieu van der Poel and Peter Sagan, the star riders fighting for an Olympic place in mountain biking at the WC in Glasgow, burned out in the field.
The reigning world champion on the road lasted only three minutes on the track. After a painful fall, he picked up the loss, but also suffered injuries and withdrew from the race.
“I don’t even know what to say. I fell on the same side as during the road race, it hurts quite a bit. I’m angry with myself, it was only my fault,” responded the disappointed Dutchman.
Read more Participation in the Olympics eluded him. Sagan did not succeed at the WC, he ended up in the field of losers
Sagan held on bravely, fought as hard as he could, but he saw for himself what he already suspected before the championship.
After completing the last Tour de France in his career, he had only three weeks left to train in the field. As the elite race showed, it was very little.
The three-time world champion was not enough for the cross country specialists and ended up in the field of losers in 63rd place.
“It started quickly, gradually it got faster, it was hard for me to breathe. But in the end well, I finished the course, without injury. At least I tried after a long time what it’s like to race competitively on a burner,” Sagan evaluated his appearance to the RTVS camera.
Photo: fb peter sagan
Sagan Mountain Peter Sagan during training for the mountain bike race at the WC in Glasgow.
Neither he nor van der Poel was helped by the controversial decision of the heads of world cycling from the UCI, who at the last minute, as part of an “effort to increase the attractiveness of the competition”, moved both from the last to the 5th row at the cross country start.
The later winner Tom Pidcock also moved up, although the Briton is a slightly different category than the Dutchman with the Slovak.
A member of the Ineos – Grenadiers road team, he is an Olympic champion in mountain biking from Tokyo, completed the World Cup race in the Czech Republic and had points earned in the cross country ranking.
Nevertheless, he also benefited from the situation. He was supposed to be 61st at the start, Sagan with van der Poel 104th and 105th. After the UCI intervened, the trio started from 33rd, 34th and 35th.
2023-08-13 12:09:00
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