A succession of doping scandals in the early 2000s made the German public highly sceptical of professional cycling, but with his move to the German Bora-Hansgrohe team, Peter Sagan has sought to explain how things have changed.
"What has happened, has happened. Now there is a new generation. We live like we're in prison," Sagan told Sportschau.de.
>>> 100 Best Road Riders of 2016: #1 Peter Sagan
"We must always indicate our whereabouts. The doping controls can go anywhere. The cycling is now very clean.
"I was lucky and have come into a clean cycling. The fact that many young cyclists have the chance today to win shows that one can not do these things any more."
Watch: 10 best road riders of 2016
The world champion also spoke about how the cleaner image that cycling is now bringing in sponsors from outside the sport, such as with his own sponsors Bora, a manufacturer of extractor fans, and Hansgrohe, a manufacturer of taps and showers.
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"In the past we had either national money in cycling - as with Astana or Katusha - or bicycle manufacturers sponsoring teams."
"Bora-Hansgrohe demonstrates how things are changing. Companies with money are coming to cycling because they are able to market their products."
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