Sagan makes it three
Slovak puts third consecutive Worlds win down to ‘karma’
For someone who had just ridden to a historic third road race world title, Peter Sagan remained playfully enigmatic on Sunday as he spoke about his win.
“Very nice. I don’t know how it’s going to change something in the world,” he cautioned with a smile, “but for me it’s very nice, yeah.”
The Slovak became the first man to win three consecutive titles by winning the bunch sprint in Bergen, Norway, beating home rider Alexander Kristoff and Michael Matthews (Australia) into silver and bronze medal positions respectively.
“This one was the hardest,” Sagan said. “I think it was unpredictable. You can only move once. If you go on the attack, you lose energy for the sprint. What to do?”
Sagan admitted, in fact, that he had given up on the title after Julian Alaphilippe of France and Italy’s Gianni Moscon opened a gap in the closing
kilometres: “I was watching the race from behind and I decided to go for third, fourth, fifth place, I don’t know. I didn’t think any more for the title. Then in the last kilometre we came for the sprint.”
But when quizzed about his race tactics, he could not resist teasing his audience with typically Sagan-esque responses. “What was my strategy? I have no strategy,” he shrugged.
When asked why he seemed to find the Worlds easier than the Classics, he replied, “I don’t know. Karma?”
Home favourite Kristoff, was less inscrutable. “I did my maximum, and must be happy with the result,” he said.
He also praised the home crowds, who turned out in their droves and were effusive in their support not just for the home riders, but for every nation competing. “I think the whole city came here to cheer for us,” Kristoff said. “Sometimes it was hard to hear what they were saying on the radio because there was a lot of screaming.”
The last word, though, should probably go to the title holder who, asked what he dreamed of winning in the future, could only say: “I’m living day by day. Who knows what’s going to happen tomorrow?”
Three times the champion — ever the enigma.