Sagan shrugs off Tinkoff transfer talk

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Peter Sagan lined-up with his Cannondale teammates for the start of the Strade Bianche race in the shadows of the medieval towers of San Gimignano looking relaxed and keen to race, shrugging off reports that he may ride for the Tinkoff team in 2015 due to a fusion of the Russian team and Cannondale.

Sagan has been training in Tuscany this week and perhaps flicked through Gazzetta dello Sport during a coffee stop at a bar to read the report that his Cannondale team is reportedly set to be integrated into the Tinkoff team in 2015. However he claimed he has not kept up to date on the latest transfer rumours.

"I'm not really bothered by what's written in the newspapers. I haven't even read what was written…." Sagan told Cyclingnews, feigning ignorance.

When Cyclingnews gave Sagan details of what was reported in Gazzetta dello Sport on Thursday, that he will join forces with Alberto Contador and continue to ride a Cannondale bike in 2015, Sagan compared the news to previous rumours that he had signed with Fernando Alonso's team.

"Yeah. But then other stories have come out that I haven’t signed anything. Before that there were the reports that I was going to ride for Alonso's team and now people are talking about Tinkoff. It's always the same story…."

Sagan finished second at Strade Bianche last year, a few seconds behind teammate Moreno Moser but with the Italian not yet at his best, Sagan is expected to be the protected team leader for Cannondale.

"I'm really happy that it’s time for the Classics. I'm ready," he said happy that the Italian spring had brought sunny and dry weather.

Sagan will start in Italy to ride Tirreno-Adriatico before targeting Milan-San Remo and the cobbled Classics, including Paris-Roubaix.

"We won last year and we'll try to do well again this year," he said, acknowledging that his big rivals will again be Fabian Cancellara (Trek Factory Racing), Diego Ulissi (Lampre-Merida).