today 14:39
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The peak of the spring part of the season awaits the elite Slovak cyclist Petr Sagan on Sunday in the form of the Belgian monument Around Flanders, which he dominated in 2016 in the past.
After five years, he would like to repeat the championship on the 263.7 km long line from Antwerp to Oudenaarde. However, he does not consider himself a favorite. However, he has three main candidates for victory.
“I think the main favorites are three, but many others have a chance.” Sagan noted for cyclingnews.com. He gives the Belgian Wout van Aert and the Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel the best chance of triumph. “I also advise Julian Alaphilipp to this pair. He has a quality Deceuninck-QuickStep team behind him, which adds to his strength.” continued 31-year-old Žilina.
According to Sagan, however, the triumph of another rider will not be a surprise. “I know very well what it’s like to win from the position of a favorite. It’s not easy, but it can be managed. Any of these three can win, but others have a chance. Otherwise we wouldn’t even have to travel to Belgium … take a look at the Milan-San Remo race, where none of the three big favorites won, which gives me hope for Sunday, I have a chance, one never knows … I feel good, but I’m not in the best shape Still, without a bike I was three weeks old, “remarked the Slovak driver of the German team Bora-Hansgrohe.
He also added that after the break caused by the coronavirus at the beginning of February, he did his best, but he comes to Around Flanders without a start on previous classics. “That’s why it’s hard to predict how I’m going,” said Sagan.
Sagan’s eventual success in Flanders on Sunday could be the best answer to Bora-Hansgrohe’s team boss Ralph Denko last week. Denk told the German media that the future in this group is questionable.
“We are very grateful to Peter for everything he has done for us. Thanks to his menu and personality, our sponsors have received due attention. However, the autumn of his career is approaching and Peter is one of the best paid pros in the peloton. We have to consider whether we can still allow or prefer to invest money in young athletes, “ said Denk.
Sagan did not want to react to his words during the race Around Catalonia, in which he won one of the stages a week ago. In Flanders, however, he did not avoid this topic in an interview with cyclingnews.com. At first, he chose an extremely careful dictionary.
“I don’t know if Ralph said exactly what the media brought. I didn’t even read it. Sometimes phrases are taken out of context.” said the three-time world champion and went on a little more straightforwardly: “Truth be told, I don’t feel old. I’m 31 years old and I don’t think I’m in the fall of my career yet, I still have something to show and I can win even though my training was disrupted by COVID-19.”
In the end, he reacted quite openly to the published words of the head of the stable. “I’ve been busy competing in the last few weeks, so I haven’t had time to talk to Ralph, so the definition of my future has not yet fallen. I’ve had some great seasons in Bore-Hansgroh, but if Ralph thinks the best is over “That’s his opinion. If he thinks the team doesn’t need me anymore to win, then I’ll be the first person to look for another team who wants me.” Sagan added for cyclingnews.com.
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