• The Cycling News forum is looking to add some volunteer moderators with Red Rick's recent retirement. If you're interested in helping keep our discussions on track, send a direct message to @SHaines here on the forum, or use the Contact Us form to message the Community Team.

    In the meanwhile, please use the Report option if you see a post that doesn't fit within the forum rules.

    Thanks!

Teams & Riders Peter Sagan discussion thread.

Page 186 - Get up to date with the latest news, scores & standings from the Cycling News Community.
If Wout has the other business in TDF I think only COVID in the BORA team can stop him here.
Btw. the rule about disqualification after 2 positive cases in team is pretty hard. I smell huge french conspiracy theories in case Pinot wins and Jumbo or Ineos would have to be sent hope. :D
Yes covid could very well be the thing that brings him down. Ugh just go away.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sandisfan
Sep 5, 2020
1
0
10
Visit site
Hi there. I’m new to the sport of cycling. Started watching in 2018 after purchasing my first road bike in 2017, and now here I am.

I’m a big fan of sagan and yesterday’s stage was very entertaining from start to finish, a rarity (I think?) it felt like I was watching the Paris Roubaix winning version of sagan, the work done by Bora should have been rewarded with a sagan win. His chain fell off? Harsh.

Sagan hasn’t won a stage for over a year now (covid has something to do with this) but for a rider as gifted as sagan the stat is still pretty brutal. I’m certain he’s declining, what does the immediate future hold for him in terms of wins? Can we expect 1 or 2 wins a year now? + a couple more green jerseys at TDF ? Less? More?

I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts
 
To be fair, with Sagan I'm unsure if he is actually on the decline in terms of what his body is capable of or if it has a lot to do with mentality and a lack of hunger. People have pointed out in the last few days that he went through some tough times lately and as he has won so much already anyway and as he had seemingly always raced with a lot of joy I can absolutely see motivation being an issue for him.
I wouldn't be surprised if his peak years are over but I don't think he is done winning big races.
 
Hi there. I’m new to the sport of cycling. Started watching in 2018 after purchasing my first road bike in 2017, and now here I am.

I’m a big fan of sagan and yesterday’s stage was very entertaining from start to finish, a rarity (I think?) it felt like I was watching the Paris Roubaix winning version of sagan, the work done by Bora should have been rewarded with a sagan win. His chain fell off? Harsh.

Sagan hasn’t won a stage for over a year now (covid has something to do with this) but for a rider as gifted as sagan the stat is still pretty brutal. I’m certain he’s declining, what does the immediate future hold for him in terms of wins? Can we expect 1 or 2 wins a year now? + a couple more green jerseys at TDF ? Less? More?

I’d love to hear everyone’s thoughts
To be fair, with Sagan I'm unsure if he is actually on the decline in terms of what his body is capable of or if it has a lot to do with mentality and a lack of hunger. People have pointed out in the last few days that he went through some tough times lately and as he has won so much already anyway and as he had seemingly always raced with a lot of joy I can absolutely see motivation being an issue for him.
I wouldn't be surprised if his peak years are over but I don't think he is done winning big races.

If you look at his results his wins dropped off after the accident in the Tour de France a coupe of years ago when he went over the side of the road and landed on the rock and got a Giant Bruise (hemtoma?) on his Buttocks, I think it has cost him some power/explosiveness up till now. I hope, but don't know if he will ever get back to where he was.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Red Rick and yaco
I was thinking the same, as in, that he may be declining.
I'm curious to know if he dropped some weight whether he could win LBL or even Giro di Lombardia.

That was speculated about a few years ago when he was winning the Tour of California, and leading breaks full of climbers over Cat 1 passes in the Tour. Supposedly he did lose a bit of weight around then but it led to reduced power and worse results. He bulked back up a bit and won Flanders and Roubaix, and if anything he's heavier again now.

Put more simply, he maybe kinda tried it, it didn't work, and if he were to ever try it again, the ship has probably sailed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: lenric
I think we should wait another year before concluding Sagan's declining. Afterall this is an exceptional year.

Exactly. He hasn’t looked his normal self but this is a bizarre year so no conclusions can be reached. My guess if this was a normal year we wouldn’t even be talking about him. He’s that good. He’s blown everyone away for 7 years setting crazy points records.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jmdirt
To be fair, with Sagan I'm unsure if he is actually on the decline in terms of what his body is capable of or if it has a lot to do with mentality and a lack of hunger. People have pointed out in the last few days that he went through some tough times lately and as he has won so much already anyway and as he had seemingly always raced with a lot of joy I can absolutely see motivation being an issue for him.
I wouldn't be surprised if his peak years are over but I don't think he is done winning big races.
If you look at his results his wins dropped off after the accident in the Tour de France a coupe of years ago when he went over the side of the road and landed on the rock and got a Giant Bruise (hemtoma?) on his Buttocks, I think it has cost him some power/explosiveness up till now. I hope, but don't know if he will ever get back to where he was.

Sadly I think Sagan is exactly the type of rider where a small drop in ability collapses his results really badly. A small drop of speed eliminates his chances in a lot of bunch sprints, a small drop in climbing eliminates his presence from smaller groups where he could still win, and he also doesn't win puncheur finishes anymore.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jmdirt
Ok so what’s Bora‘s plan? they have seven riders left and no GC position. They have strong rouleurs but their climbing ability is limited with one of their three climbers dnf and the other two not at their best. Sagan has what 68 points to make up. Presumably they are going to roll the dice, but how and when?
 
Ok so what’s Bora‘s plan? they have seven riders left and no GC position. They have strong rouleurs but their climbing ability is limited with one of their three climbers dnf and the other two not at their best. Sagan has what 68 points to make up. Presumably they are going to roll the dice, but how and when?
They have to go hard and hope Sagan can maximize the points gained that Bennett cannot and maybe get him to OTT.
 
regarding the battle for green, this is where points can be taken by Bennet / Sagan:
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-12/preview/ same chance for the intermediate sprint, but a much better chance for Sagan to get points at the finish
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-14/preview/ same chance for the intermediate sprint, but a much better chance for Sagan to get points at the finish
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-15/preview/ same chance for the intermediate sprint, mountaintop finish on Grand Colombier so no points at the finish for both
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-16/preview/ better chance for Sagan for the intermediate, almost no chance for both at the finish (I expect a breakaway)
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-17/preview/ same chance for the intermediate sprint, mountaintop finish on Col de la loze so no points at the finish for both
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-18/preview/ There is a very odd little spike in the profile at the beginning, so I can't judge the intermediate. Rest of the stage seems to hard for both
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-19/preview/ An excellent stage for Sagan to get maximum points if he is good enough, as this stage will be hard for Bennett, already for getting points at the intermediate.

stage 19 = TT, stage 20 = same chance for both in the intermediate and on the Champs elysees after such a hard final week, it seems.

Before this stage, I would have said Sagan had still the best chance of winning. Now it seems it will be a lost battle, but it could make for some very exciting stages by team Bora.
 
regarding the battle for green, this is where points can be taken by Bennet / Sagan:
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-12/preview/ same chance for the intermediate sprint, but a much better chance for Sagan to get points at the finish
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-14/preview/ same chance for the intermediate sprint, but a much better chance for Sagan to get points at the finish
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-15/preview/ same chance for the intermediate sprint, mountaintop finish on Grand Colombier so no points at the finish for both
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-16/preview/ better chance for Sagan for the intermediate, almost no chance for both at the finish (I expect a breakaway)
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-17/preview/ same chance for the intermediate sprint, mountaintop finish on Col de la loze so no points at the finish for both
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-18/preview/ There is a very odd little spike in the profile at the beginning, so I can't judge the intermediate. Rest of the stage seems to hard for both
https://www.cyclingnews.com/races/tour-de-france-2020/stage-19/preview/ An excellent stage for Sagan to get maximum points if he is good enough, as this stage will be hard for Bennett, already for getting points at the intermediate.

stage 19 = TT, stage 20 = same chance for both in the intermediate and on the Champs elysees after such a hard final week, it seems.

Before this stage, I would have said Sagan had still the best chance of winning. Now it seems it will be a lost battle, but it could make for some very exciting stages by team Bora.

interesting overview. Tomorrow it may be in Bora’s interests to police the break and stop a group of 12 heading off into the distance? It doesn’t seem possible for him to get away from DQS on the early terrain before the intermediate so they will want to keep the stage in play.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, I'm waving the white flag for Sagan for green now. An amazing rider but disappointed he swore are van Aert after he was approached, it could have been a horror show at the finish with Sagan's manoeuvre.

In terms of his decline using this TdF as evidence only it does seem he has lost more with his climbing than with outright speed. He hasn't really ever been a dominant sprinter and is reliant on markedly uphill finishes and reduced bunch sprints (both of which haven't been common this TdF). He averages 1.5 stage victories per TdF, and might not be far off that come the end of the race.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jmdirt

TRENDING THREADS