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Peter Sagan, one of the most prolific and popular riders of his generation, has confirmed that the 2023 season will be his final year racing in the elite men’s WorldTour.
Sagan, who turns 33 on Thursday, said he would run this season with TotalEnergies and then transition to mountain biking in a bid to race at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
“The time has come to let everyone know that this is my final year on a road bike as a professional,” Sagan said at a press conference on Thursday. “I will stay with TotalEnergies and I would like to focus more on qualifying for the mountain bike Olympics.”
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The announcement came on his birthday during a rest day at the Vuelta a San Juan on his season debut.
Team officials said the decision to transition away from road racing was made “some time ago”, and that the decision comes after a few sub-seasons were wracked by COVID infections.
Sagan said he would continue racing in 2024, including some road races, but stressed that the 2023 campaign would be devoted entirely to a full WorldTour-level calendar.
“This is not my goodbye,” Sagan said. “I will start a new adventure, and everyone will see me again in these new projects.”
Sagan has already competed in the mountain bike Olympic Games in 2016, and is keeping off-road and the dream of an Olympic medal at the center of his ambitions.
Sagan thanked her large circle of friends, teammates, employees and sponsors who have supported her since she burst onto the scene more than a decade ago.
Sagan is one of the leading lights of the class of 1990, and won three world titles, seven green point jerseys, as well as the Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix.
