Paris-Roubaix victory down to ‘destiny’, says Peter Sagan

Peter Sagan said it’s down to “destiny” whether he will win Paris-Roubaix this Sunday.

The world champion goes into the race as one of the favourites following his victory at the Tour of Flanders last weekend. A win this weekend in the Roubaix velodrome would make the Slovakian the first rider to win both Flanders and Roubaix while wearing the rainbow jersey since Rik van Looy achieved the feat in 1962.

Sagan joined his Tinkoff teammates for a recon of the final 90km of the Roubaix cobbled route on Friday morning. His Russian team chose an understated Lidl supermarket car park to greet the press ahead of their ride, much to the surprise of some early-morning shoppers.

“Maybe, we will see [if I can win] from the luck how the race will be,” the 26-year-old told reporters. “If my destiny is the win maybe I can, if my destiny is to not win I don’t win.”

Sagan beat Fabian Cancellara in Flanders last Sunday to secure his first career Monument, but stated it does not guarantee him the win in Roubaix as both are completely different races and have differing parcours.

“Paris-Roubaix has not got a lot of steep climbs like in Flanders; it’s got more cobblestones. I think the cobblestones are much worse than in Flanders,” he said. “I don’t know [which suits me better] first of all I won Flanders, and then we will see how I’m going at Roubaix.”

Rain is predicted on Sunday at Roubaix, yet Sagan refused to speculate on how it would affect the race. “How it will be will be, it’s not in my hands. I’m happy if I don’t crash. If I get to the finish then I will be happy.”

While Sagan highlighted both Tom Boonen and Cancellara as contenders to win the coveted Roubaix cobblestone trophy, he said laughing that “everybody like always” will be his rivals.

“Boonen, Cancellara these big names are always there, then also other riders will be there.”