Agent denies Peter Sagan will leave Tinkoff-Saxo before contract expires

Peter Sagan will not be leaving Tinkoff-Saxo before the end of 2017, according to his agent, despite rumours that the team owner would be willing to cut ties.

Giovanni Lombardi told Italian website Tuttobici in no uncertain terms that his client would not be looking to break his contract, although speculation links the Slovakian with Etixx-Quick-Step.

The same website claimed that Etixx boss Patrick Lefevere is interested in signing Sagan, but Lombardi insists that the 25-year-old is in the right place at Tinkoff-Saxo.

“Peter is a rider who the market is interested in and I can only rejoice, but one thing is certain: Peter has a contract that expires at the end of 2017 and we absolutely want to respect this agreement until the end," Lombardi said.

“Does it look like he is suffering at the Tour de Suisse, not supported by a team that does not believe in him?

“Believe me, there are many who wanted Sagan, but Oleg Tinkov was the fastest to sign him. Unless they have a good reason, Peter will not move from there."

Tinkov intimated recently that he would look to cut Sagan's big-money salary if there was a way to legally do so, while the rider hit back on Tuesday by insisting he's happy with his form and results this year.

Should Sagan indeed leave Tinkoff for Etixx it would surely spell the end of Mark Cavendish's time at the Belgian team, with the Manxman's contract set to expire this year.

Mark Cavendish discusses the 2015 Tour de France