Peter Sagan Defends His Title of World Champion in Road Cycling

Doha, October 16 (TASR) – Slovak cyclist Peter Sagan has defended his world champion title in the Qatari capital of Doha, TASR learnt on Sunday.

Sagan, who dominated last year’s UCI Road World Championships in Richmond as well, didn’t give a chance to his opponents in the final spurt of the men’s elite road race category with a mass start.

He is the first cyclist since 2007 who has managed to defend his rainbow jersey in back-to-back years. The last person who succeeded in doing so was Italian Paolo Bettini (2006 and 2007). He is also the first racer who has managed to secure the titles of world champion and European champion in the same year.

Sagan had a very successful season this year. He won the green jersey at the Tour de France, including three first places in three individual stages of the tour. He also won at Gent-Welvegem, the Tour of Flanders and the Grand Prix Cycliste de Quebec. He has also placed first in the WorldTour ranking.

As many as 199 cyclists from 48 countries stood at the start of the 257.3-kilometre long route. Apart from Sagan, Slovakia was also represented by his brother Juraj Sagan and Michael Kolar.

Sagan finished first in front of Britain’s Mark Cavendish and Belgium’s Tom Boonen.

Next year’s UCI Road World Championships will be held in the Norwegian city of Bergen between September 17-24.