Peter Sagan quiet on future ahead of start of 10th Tour de France

BREST, France (VN) — Peter Sagan refuses to comment on his future ahead of the start of what will be his 10th edition of the Tour de France.

Sagan’s contract remains under wraps, at least officially, but sources are telling VeloNews that a deal is done for 2022. The big question remains where.

Right now, Sagan doesn’t want to reveal any details.

“Sure, it’s important, but not for my future,” Sagan said of the 2021 Tour. “The future is still in the game, but I don’t think it’s going to change if the Tour is going well or not. I have nothing to show anyone or prove what I am able to do. I want to do my best, and next year we will see later what is going to happen.”

Also read: Will Sagan win another green jersey?

Sagan, 31, enters his 10th Tour start with his contract up at the end of the season.

Speculation has been rife since comments this spring by Bora-Hansgrohe boss Ralph Denk suggesting that Sagan might not be part of the team’s future. Though Denk walked back some of those comments, reports also link Sam Bennett with a possible return to the team.

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Sagan refused to budge, and said he’s only focused on the race.

“Everyone knows we cannot speak about this until August, and everyone is trying to know something more, but I am not going to answer it,” Sagan said.

“It’s always very important to stay focused and do your best, and the good things are coming, and I believe in that,” he said. “I am trying to surprise myself all of my career. I already explore some limits of what I have. Sometimes there are no limits.”

If Sagan leaves Bora-Hansgrohe as some expect, his options could be limited by the fact that he likes to bring an entourage of staffers and riders along with him. Quick-Step boss Patrick Lefevere said he would not sign Sagan for Deceuninck-Quick-Step for that very reason.

Also read: Why Sagan would be a perfect fit at Deceuninck-Quick-Step

Teams are clearly interested in signing the three-time world champion, including a possible move to TotalÉnergies, a French second-tier squad with plenty of room and budget to bring him on in what could be a possible jump into the WorldTour.

Speculation aside, Sagan enters this Tour intent on reclaiming the green jersey that he won every year since his debut in 2012, except when he was ejected from the Tour in 2017, and again last year against Bennett.

Also read: Will Mark Cavendish win a stage?

A challenging first week tips the competition in Sagan’s favor against pure sprinters like Caleb Ewan (Lotto-Soudal) or Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-Quick-Step).

“There are a lot of favorites, not just me,” Sagan said. “I always try to do my best. There are a lot of guys with interests in the bunch tomorrow. Alaphilippe, Colbrelli, even me; it always depends on how the race is going. We already saw it’s already not so easy for me to win the green jersey.”

Also read: Daniel Oss and his Tour de France diary

When asked about his favorite moments in nearly a decade at the Tour, Sagan rattled off a few highlights.

“My first victory in the Tour, my first green jersey, my first yellow jersey,” he said. “You could also add some big crashes that I had. The record of seven green jerseys … that’s not bad for nine years.”

With the help of longtime teammate Daniel Oss, Sagan seems destined to add to his legend this year, even if he doesn’t want to reveal where he’ll be racing next season.