A legend leaves the stage
In what will probably be the last race, the “rock star” follows behind
October 1, 2023, 9:09 p.m
Where careers end like this. Peter Sagan, the rock star of the cycling scene, gets on his bike for the last time. In the western French province, he rolls across the finish line a few seconds behind the winner Arnaud Demare. Things continue for Demare, but not for Sagan. Nevertheless, he could appear in Paris in 2024.
A cycling great is leaving: Slovakian Peter Sagan has probably competed in his last road race as a professional cyclist. At the largely unknown Tour de Vendee in the western French province, the 33-year-old former world champion ended his illustrious career in ninth place and crossed the finish line five seconds behind winner Arnaud Demare.
“I’m grateful for what I’ve achieved in my career. I enjoyed it, but it’s enough,” Sagan said in the summer about his approaching end to his career: “I can’t keep sacrificing myself year after year do more. It’s time to turn the tide.”
Sagan celebrated historic successes
Sagan, who rode for the German racing team Bora-hansgrohe from 2017 to 2021, is one of the most successful professional cyclists in history. The “rock star” is the only athlete to date to have won three road race world championship titles in a row (2015 – 2017) and won the green jersey of the Tour de France rider with the highest points seven times.
The extroverted Slovakian also won twelve stages on the Tour of France and several classics such as Paris-Roubaix 2018. For years he was considered one of the best-paid professionals in the field. In the autumn of his career, Sagan was no longer the winning rider of days gone by; most recently, the strong sprinting all-rounder no longer had anything to do with the stage decisions at the Tour de France, for example. From next year, Sagan only wants to compete in mountain biking – possibly also at the Olympic Games in Paris.