Quirky showman Sagan gears up for the week from cycling hell

Slovakian ace coming to the boil just nicely ahead of his attempt to land a second Tour of Flanders

There is a faintly surreal moment towards the end of my hour-long audience with Peter Sagan, when we find ourselves discussing snooker player Ronnie O’sullivan. I have been probing the threetime world champion for a while, pushing him to tell me what goals a man of his bountiful talents might have set for this season and beyond. A second Tour of Flanders on Sunday is presumably first on the agenda?

That was not looking particularly likely even as recently as a week ago, following a so-so start to Sagan’s season. After reducing Elia Viviani to tears in winning Gent-wevelgem last Sunday, however, the Slovakian looks to have rediscovered his form just in time for the most important week of classics season, with the hellish cobbles of Paris-roubaix following hot on the heels of the Ronde next weekend. Bookmakers have installed Sagan as favourite for both races.

A sixth green jersey at the Tour de France in July is almost expected of Sagan, of course – and after his hugely controversial disqualification last summer following that run-in with Mark Cavendish, there would presumably be an element of catharsis about that. As for a fourth consecutive world road title later this year, surely that is out of the question with the Innsbruck course too hilly even for a rider as versatile as he is?

Every question elicits a variation of the same response. “I don’t think about goals,” Sagan shrugs. “I want to win important races.”

But surely, I persist, a man who can win in so many different ways, who is equally at home in the break or in a bunch sprint; a man who, on his day, can outpace Cavendish or outlast Greg van Avermaet, sets himself lofty targets? Impossible dreams? How about losing 10kg and winning the yellow jersey at the Tour? Something that would blow people’s minds.

“Why I have to do this?” he asks. “I don’t have this kind of thinking. And anyway I already did something special. Without thinking. I just want to be myself. Not just do what somebody wants.”

As Sagan speaks, my eye is drawn to the screen on the wall behind him in the bar in which we are sitting in Palma. The snooker is on and Rocket Ronnie is busy compiling another century break. What about panache, I ask? Is it enough simply to win? Or is it important –