Oleg Tinkov seems to confirm Peter Sagan's move to Bora-Argon 18
Oleg Tinkov lets slip to ITV that Peter Sagan is on his way to Bora-Argon 18 for the 2017 season, with the Germans even giving him a pay rise
It seems Peter Sagan will be riding for Bora-Argon 18 next year, with his current boss Oleg Tinkov spilling the beans in a TV interview.
Transfers aren't usually announced until after August 1, according to the UCI rules on the matter, but it's no secret that many teams have been chasing Sagan's signature and those of his Tinkoff teammates, with the team folding at the end of the year.
It has been rumoured for weeks that Bora are in pole position to sign the current world champion, with new title sponsor Hansgrohe and bike brand Specialized rumoured to be footing the substantial bill.
"I understand he signed with Bora," Tinkov said in an interview with ITV. "I will gladly follow Peter on TV, or over the net, and if I come some time to the race when Peter comes out of the Bora bus, he will not hesitate to take a photo with me."
Peter Sagan's Tour de France bike
And the sum paid for the man who's won three stages so far at the Tour de France isn't insignificant, with Tinkov saying the German team is paying Sagan more than the lucrative deal he's on with Tinkoff.
"According to my information, Bora paid him even more. I mean, that's the market," he said. "I know for definite he got more. I'm not going to disclose the number. But he signed for much more money than I paid him - that's a fact."
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Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.