Peter Sagan and Vuelta motorbike driver make peace over 2015 crash
Sagan met with Spanish motorbike driver Jesus Esteban on the Monday's rest day
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

Peter Sagan has formally made peace with the motorbike driver that caused him to crash during the 2015 Vuelta a España on the 2018 race's first rest day.
The world champion met with motorbike driver Jesus Esteban on Monday in Salamanca and exchanged gifts as they buried the hatchet over the incident that forced Sagan to abandon the race.
The crash took place on stage eight of the 2015 Vuelta, with the motorbike colliding with Sagan as it tried to pass the peloton, sending him to the ground. Despite the injuries the Slovakian sustained to his left side, he finished the stage but abandoned before the start of stage nine.
At the times Sagan said "I didn’t even hear the motorbike coming. I find it unacceptable that a motorbike tries to weave its way into the group at such high speed."
Now with Bora-Hansgrohe, Sagan's team at the time, Tinkoff-Saxo, released a strongly worded open letter that threatened legal action against the race, which never came about. The team also saw another rider taken out by a motorbike in that race, with Sergio Paulinho hitting the ground and abandoning on stage 11.
After his collision, Sagan was fined by commissaires for his angry outburst where he punched the medical car. Esteban was excluded from the race and the organisers issued an apology to Sagan and his team.
Despite his injuries, Sagan was able to recover in time to take the first of his three consecutive world titles in Richmond in September.
Now, three years down the line, Sagan met with motorbike driver Esteban and gave him a signed world champion's jersey while Esteban gave him the cracked windscreen from the motorbike that hit him that day.
"Thanks to that withdrawal [from the race] I became world champion, so I have to thank you," Sagan said on their meeting according to the EFE news agency.
"I remember that accident caused me to abandon, but it wasn't so serious because I had won a stage and I was going to leave anyway. From that day on, my road towards three World Championships began."
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
-
-
'Don't use the bike': OPEN recalls all of its Campagnolo Ekar-equipped bikes and framesets
In Cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, OPEN Cycle has sent out a recall for all its Campagnolo Ekar-equipped gravel and road bikes.
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Tour of Flanders 2023: Five men and five women to watch on Sunday
Taking a closer look at the favourites ahead of this year's Ronde van Vlaanderen
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
In celebration of Peter Sagan, cycling's rock and roll frontman
As the three-time world champion is set to call time on his career in the WorldTour at the end of 2023, we thought we would take a look back at the glory days
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Wout van Aert moots building gravel world championships into 2023 programme
Belgian rider says gravel racing has a ‘great future’ as he considers worlds participation next year
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Peter Sagan to ride the UCI Gravel World Championships to ‘give back to the people’
‘I still have much more to give’ says Sagan on the decision to head to Italy for the competition
By Tom Thewlis • Last updated
-
Peter Sagan has day to forget at E-MTB Worlds, crashing twice
The Slovakian came off his bike and finished in 16th
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Peter Sagan set to compete in the electric mountain bike World Championships
TotalEnergies rider will compete in competition in Les Gets, France in late-August
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
Van der Poel not targeting green jersey at Tour de France
Jasper Philipsen will be the main sprinter at Alpecin-Fenix
By Tom Thewlis • Published
-
'It's nice to be back': Peter Sagan downplays his first WorldTour win in over a year
Slovakian takes his maiden win for TotalEnergies, his first in ninth month, but his 18th Tour de Suisse stage
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Peter Sagan unlikely to ride Paris-Roubaix after illness
Former winner also missed Tour of Flanders after health problems
By Adam Becket • Published