Peter Sagan's video of him parking a bike on a car roof (see below) may seem juvenile and trivial, but it sheds light on his vast talents. That versatility could see him win a second green jersey in the Tour de France, which starts tomorrow in Corsica, or take him to greater goals.
"It's all there and all true," the 23-year-old Slovak told Cycling Weekly of the 'Peter Sagan Parking' video. "It took me a lot of tries, but jumping up on the car was done without any props and a lot of fun to do."
Sagan truly seems to have fun doing what he does, whether it is destroying his rivals winning solo in Ghent-Wevelgem or out-sprinting Mark Cavendish in a rain-soaked Tirreno-Adriatico stage.
Few might care what a Slovakian rider was up to if it was without the spice that he adds. When he won Ghent-Wevelgem, he celebrated with a wheelie. Even when the Tour of Flanders win slipped away, he still created headlines on the podium by pinching a podium girl's backside.
His talent even catches the eyes of the greats. Cadel Evans was asked to name five riders that inspire him, Sagan was the first name he mentioned.
Sagan, later in a press conference, said he was honoured to be named.
"I'm happy to know older riders like Cadel Evans or Alberto Contador, Philippe Gilbert or Tom Boonen," Sagan said in his preferred international language, Italian. "I came into cycling young and new, now I'm a winner, and I'm happy that they consider me. Maybe they like how I win. I think that they'd also like to do the things that I do."
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"Look at how he won in the Tour of Switzerland," Gilbert, the current world champion said in a press conference today. "He won one stage ahead of the climbers and another one ahead of the sprinters. Peter Sagan is so impressive."
Sagan explained that he wants to give more than a win, but a show to the fans that take the time to visit or tune into a race.
"They don't just come to watch a win, but to see a show," Sagan said. "They've had to take vacation days to come to the Tour de France, so they want to enjoy it and have fun."
Sagan rode a wheelie, did the running man and impersonated the Incredible Hulk in previous wins. He is practicing something new for his next wins.
"We started practicing already yesterday," Sagan explained. "Maybe it'll go better than last year, with wins, and everyone can have fun."
The future? Team Cannondale's top brass thinks that he could transform into a three-week rider, capable of wining a Grand Tour.
"I'm surprising myself, too. It's great," Sagan said, responding in his performed international language, Italian.
"We'll what's possible for me in the future. Right now, I'm just concentrated on the green jersey."
We rate the chances of the green jersey favourites for this year's Tour de France >>
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