Chris Lawless targeting strong Classics performances alongside new team-mate: 'I would like to ride some with Peter Sagan'

Team TotalEnergies rider Chris Lawless is hoping he will get the opportunity to ride a number of Classics with new team-mate and former world champion Peter Sagan this coming year, with the Slovak joining the ProTeam from Bora-Hansgrohe. 

Lawless, who won the 2019 Tour de Yorkshire, joined the French-based team at the start of 2020 from Ineos Grenadiers but has only competed in one Classics race, at the 2020 Tour of Flanders. He finished 99th on that occasion, but he is targeting better performances this season, which he hopes will be alongside Sagan.

“I would like to ride some [Classics] with Peter Sagan," Lawless told DirectVelo."It's a big goal. I hope to perform well. If I give the best of myself for the team in each race, I will have my card to play. But it's also my job to work for team-mates at the end of the race."

The 26-year-old has struggled for consistency since joining TotalEnergies, with the Covid-19 pandemic halting preparations and inhibiting his opportunities to work his way into form. 

Now though, Lawless seems encouraged by a strong start to 2022. The Briton finished third in one-day race Classica Comunitat Valenciana, behind Giovanni Lonardi (EOLO-Kometa) and Amaury Capiot (Team Arkéa Samsic), and then secured sixth place on the first stage of the Étoile de Bessèges. 

While he has ambitions of riding the Classics, Lawless is also hoping he will continue to find stability in his riding. He also alludes to the extended break helping with his preparations to find that consistency. 

"With the lack of races it was tough. But I always believed in myself and I knew I was capable of getting back to a good level. I'm happy that everything is back to normal. I hope to have a full year now.

"I want to stay consistent. I will give my all in every event. And with success, the results will come.

“It's a completely different start than last year. I had a long winter, my last race was at the end of August. So I had a long preparation for this new season, I started training early. This seems to have worked at the start of the season.”