Peter Sagan's plans for revamped racing season confirmed
The three-time world champion is pursuing very different goals this year
Peter Sagan’s plans for the 2020 season have been announced, as he changes his goals for the first time in years.
Sagan, a former three-time world champion, will completely miss the cobbled Classics for the first time since 2011 as he makes his Giro d’Italia debut in October.
Bora-Hansgrohe management revealed on Tuesday (June 16) that the Slovakian superstar will be riding the Tour de France and the Giro as part of the UCI’s completely redesigned calendar, but will miss Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.
Sagan will star his season on the day WorldTour racing returns, August 1 for Strade Bianche, according to Ciclismo a Fondo in Spain.
He will then ride Milano-Torino on August 5, Milan-San Remo on August 8, and the Critérium du Dauphiné from August 12-16,before turning his attention to the Grand Tours.
Sagan will race the Tour de France, which starts in Nice from August 29 and will then ride the Giro for the first time from October 3.
But there was no mention of the World Championships, which are due to be held in Switzerland from September 20-27.
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The upheaval caused by coronavirus forced the UCI to suspend all racing in March and the governing body has since redesigned the calendar, fitting all major races into the four months between August and November.
Sagan’s regular schedule would feature the major classics, including Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders, both of which he has won already, then the Tour de France in summer.
He has raced both cobbled Monuments every year since 2013.
>>> Strava stats reveal Egan Bernal is seriously ramping up his training for the Tour de France
This year he had planned to make his Giro d’Italia debut in the hopes of winning a stage and potentially the points jersey, before lining up at the Tour.
Peter Sagan’s 2020 schedule
Strade Bianche – August 1
Milano-Torino – August 5
Milan –San Remo – August 8
Critérium du Dauphiné – August 12-16
Tour de France – August 29-September 20
Giro d’Italia - October 3-25
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Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
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