Teams & Riders Peter Sagan discussion thread.

[Extinction]

Sad to say this, but he's wasted his best opportunities to win some more titles, some, from his mistakes, some from reasons he could not affect. For me, the biggest mistakes, his and his managers were, when they tried to make him a better climber, where actually after each episodes, he ended up a little bit lesser climber then before the experiments. And they tried it in cannondale, in tinkoff and in bora too.

Ont the other hand, I don't think, he's that old. He's past his peak for now, definitely, but it has nothing to do with age, imho. Not so long ago, he would be in perfect age for longer classics. It's just that, like he dominated in young age, currently there are other very young riders, who are maybe even on bigger level that he was at their age, it's just that simple. The young guns are out of the world currently.

He is comparable to Boonen, but was midguided unfortunately.

 

[tomorrow]

He is comparable to Boonen, but was midguided unfortunately.

comparable in what, the prospects what he could be, or the palmares? Because yes, after maturing, he should have become another Boonen and Cancellara. But he has not, and I doubt he will. At first, when he actually matched Boonen and Cancellara physicaly, was not yet ready mentally, hard to say if he's now.
When Tommeke and Spartakus ended their careers, as far as the pure strength is concered, there was nobody matching him, however, he was just outnumbered by reasonably strong racers. Boonen and Cancellara actually profited from each other, because they were aproximately on the same level, and together with their teams could defy attacks of quantity. Attacks like the one of Terpstra in E3 and later Gilbert in Flanders would just not be successful, or would not even happen.
Nowadays, even in top shape, there will be stronger riders like MvdP or WvA, but I am afraid the even Pogacar would be stronger in Flanders. And there's also the Pidcock guy, who has not yet been fully concentrated on spring classics campaign for now.
If guys like Sagan Naesen, GvA, ... are to win something, i think it will just be only due tu MvdP, WvA and Pidcock cancelling each other. For Sagan, there could be chance on some route friendly world championships, because the bigger teams have usually too many rainbow candidates among themselfves, which Sagan has banked already 3 times.

 

[tobydawq]

I just can't believe he actually managed a 7th place in this race. A slightly better position for the sprint and he could even have taken a medal.

That must be his best climbing performance of the year.

 

[PeterB]

I just can't believe he actually managed a 7th place in this race. A slightly better position for the sprint and he could even have taken a medal.

That must be his best climbing performance of the year.

Actually, as per the following photo borrowed from the main thread he probably had the best position possible, right on Laporte's wheel with 350m to go, just didn't have much left for the actual sprint

 

[tobydawq]

Actually, as per the following photo borrowed from the main thread he probably had the best position possible, right on Laporte's wheel with 350m to go, just didn't have much left for the actual sprint

Okay, fair enough then.

 

[claude cat]

So 2023 is it for Peter.

Peter Sagan to retire from WorldTour at end of season, targets MTB at Paris Olympics | Cyclingnews

“I would like to say the moment has arrived,” Sagan said. “I decided I would like to finish this season as a rider in WorldTour races. I would like to prepare for the Olympic Games in mountain bike.”

 

[LesMcLuffAlot]

Love to see him do a season or 2 of WC XC. See if he can win one or more. Or world champion in road and MTB. Would be awesome.

 

[jmdirt]

Have a great final season, and welcome back to the dirt!

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Not shocked, on the road his heart hasn't been in it for a while and even if it was, I'm not sure how well he would hold up against this generation. Crazy that he will now very likely retire without a single Sanremo to his name though, that remains arguably the greatest 'how did he never win it' of all time.

 

[Bolder]

He sort of "retired" from the WT when he joined Total...that said, Sagan was always on relatively smaller teams, maybe that benefited him but there were so many teams (at least in my limited memory) when it seemed like there was always a QS or Lotto to sit on his wheel or chase him down. Although maybe Liquigas wa a major team in the early 2010s.

Fabulous career; sure, he could have done more with a spartan training regimen, but he was always a free spirit. Winning 3 WCs in a row is always going to stick out in my mind -- his 2012-2018 run overall was pretty amazing. And he owned that green jersey.

 

[DNP-Old]

From a career perspective, he made a big mistake clinging onto his entourage when he had the chance to join QuickStep two years ago. It made all sense in the world too, given the Specialized connection. Could have prolonged his career and help him re-find his insane level of old.

 

[Blanco]

Greatest active rider is retiring at the end of the year. The trend continues after Valverde last year...

 

[tobydawq]

Greatest active rider is retiring at the end of the year. The trend continues after Valverde last year...

Is he still greater than Pogacar?

 

[Red Rick]

Is he still greater than Pogacar?

Surely not.

Somehow it feels easy to forget Pog already has 3 monuments himself.

 

[glassmoon]

Love to see him do a season or 2 of WC XC. See if he can win one or more. Or world champion in road and MTB. Would be awesome.

jeeez... some fans are straight up delusional

 

[Axel Hangleck]

If he's moving to race XCO, then he's not really retiring, is he? He's merely ending his Road career....Retirement means stopping racing completely. Targeting the Olympics is interesting, he'll need to qualify, and that means racing this season. He's in the same situation as MvdP.....

 

[Axel Hangleck]

jeeez... some fans are straight up delusional

He'll do well to get inside the Top 15-20.......

 

[glassmoon]

If he's moving to race XCO, then he's not really retiring, is he? He's merely ending his Road career....Retirement means stopping racing completely. Targeting the Olympics is interesting, he'll need to qualify, and that means racing this season. He's in the same situation as MvdP.....

there is one rather significant difference between him and MVP - MVP can win XC WC races repeatedly, PS on other hand... but yes, he'll need to qualify (or rather Slovakia needs to qualify - hope it's not another Lami/Sagan drama as before the Rio)

 

[danielovichdk2]

Is he still greater than Pogacar?

Peter Sagans palmares is for me at least beyond what pog has accomplished. Peter will go down as a true legend, a selected few in the category.

He was such a great bike rider for so many years and he still competes very very well.

Chapeau to P.S. What a champ

 

[Bolder]

From a career perspective, he made a big mistake clinging onto his entourage when he had the chance to join QuickStep two years ago. It made all sense in the world too, given the Specialized connection. Could have prolonged his career and help him re-find his insane level of old.

I forgot about that. But he was loyal to his brother and friends...

Is he still greater than Pogacar?

Yes, but give Pogi a few more years. Different types of riders, too.

 

[danielovichdk2]

Peter Sagans palmares is for me at least beyond what pog has accomplished. Peter will go down as a true legend, a selected few in the category.

He was such a great bike rider for so many years and he still competes very very well.

Chapeau to P.S. What a champ

Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara is also in this category.

Abdujaparov too. Vanderaerden. Those types of cyclists.

 

[danielovichdk2]

I forgot about that. But he was loyal to his brother and friends...

Yes, but give Pogi a few more years. Different types of riders, too.

A few more years ? At this stage Pog has not even won half of the races Peter has. Half!!!

Don't compare the two. They are different animals. Imo

 

[CyclistAbi]

For sure one of the legends of this sport. Lately a lack of motivation or something else is involved. But career he had as a whole was majestic. As this seems to be the last season. Hope he takes a win or two. For some personal satisfaction.

 

[tobydawq]

A few more years ? At this stage Pog has not even won half of the races Peter has. Half!!!

Don't compare the two. They are different animals. Imo

I'm as big a Sagan fan as any but that is pure nonsense, sorry to say in such a direct way.

 

[KZD]

A few more years ? At this stage Pog has not even won half of the races Peter has. Half!!!

Don't compare the two. They are different animals. Imo

Well its not about the quantity its about the quality of the wins, isn‘t it?

Since the two race in the modern cycling era, I see no reason why the two shouldn't be compared and Pogačar's palmares is already really close to Sagan's after just 4 years as a pro.

Sagan had a career of paradoxes. His three consecutive World titles were legendary and the 7 green jersies at the Tour was also something amazing but I just find a bit disappointing than he never wore the yellow jersey in the Tour and more important than that only won two monuments, even though he still has a small chance of finally winning MSR this year (should have tried LBL in his early years too). But I think he correctly recognised that his best days on the road are over and want to have some fun in the MTB. Wishing him all the best.