Peter Sagan to race Volta a Catalunya as he continues comeback from coronavirus

The three-time world champion has looked well off the pace in his first race back since recovering from Covid-19

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Peter Sagan has changed his schedule to race in a support role at the Volta a Catalunya instead of starting his Classics campaign at the E3 Saxo-Bank Classic and Gent-Wevelgem, as he continues to make his comeback after having coronavirus.

The three-time world champion contracted the virus in early February and delayed the start of his season in order to properly recover.

Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) hasn't looked like his old self by any stretch at Tirreno-Adriatico, his first race back after having the virus, so has altered his schedule so that he can find more racing form without the pressure of being the team's leader.

The Volta a Catalunya organiser announced that he would be taking part earlier this week, confirming he is missing more of this season's spring Classics. The Spanish race takes place between March 22-28 with E3 and Gent-Wevelgem taking place on March 26/28.

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The Slovakian will be going to Catalunya in support of Lennard Kämna and Felix Großschartner who will be targetting general classification success, with Sagan teaming up with young Belgian, Jordi Meeus in the sprint stages.

The two Classics that he will be missing are races in which he's enjoyed much success in the past, winning E3 once and getting on the podium twice, as well as taking Gent-Wevelgem victory three times with an additional three podium finishes.

Sagan was originally down to have a very busy year with multiple goals including the Classics, a return to the Giro d'Italia as well as his next attempt at an eighth green jersey at the Tour de France.

After that he was due to ride the Olympics road race in July before competing for a fourth world road title in Flanders, Belgium in September.

Sagan is down to race Milan-San Remo before heading down to Spain for the Volta a Catalunya, a race that is mainly suited to climbers. He'll then take part in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in April.

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Tim Bonville-Ginn

Hi, I'm one of Cycling Weekly's content writers for the web team responsible for writing stories on racing, tech, updating evergreen pages as well as the weekly email newsletter. Proud Yorkshireman from the UK's answer to Flanders, Calderdale, go check out the cobbled climbs!


I started watching cycling back in 2010, before all the hype around London 2012 and Bradley Wiggins at the Tour de France. In fact, it was Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck's battle in the fog up the Tourmalet on stage 17 of the Tour de France.


It took me a few more years to get into the journalism side of things, but I had a good idea I wanted to get into cycling journalism by the end of year nine at school and started doing voluntary work soon after. This got me a chance to go to the London Six Days, Tour de Yorkshire and the Tour of Britain to name a few before eventually joining Eurosport's online team while I was at uni, where I studied journalism. Eurosport gave me the opportunity to work at the world championships in Harrogate back in the awful weather.


After various bar jobs, I managed to get my way into Cycling Weekly in late February of 2020 where I mostly write about racing and everything around that as it's what I specialise in but don't be surprised to see my name on other news stories.


When not writing stories for the site, I don't really switch off my cycling side as I watch every race that is televised as well as being a rider myself and a regular user of the game Pro Cycling Manager. Maybe too regular.


My bike is a well used Specialized Tarmac SL4 when out on my local roads back in West Yorkshire as well as in northern Hampshire with the hills and mountains being my preferred terrain.