Peter Sagan has announced that 2023 will be his final season as a professional rider on the road. Speaking at a press conference in San Juan on Thursday evening, Sagan confirmed that he would not compete in WorldTour races after this season, but that he would ride the mountain bike event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
“I would like to say the moment has arrived,” Sagan said. “I decided I would like to finish this season as a rider in WorldTour races. I would like to prepare for the Olympic Games in mountain bike.”
The announcement came on the Vuelta a San Juan as Sagan marked his 33rd birthday at a reception at the Villicum motor racing circuit. The Slovakian is in the second season of a two-year contract at TotalEnergies, and he indicated that he would ride a familiar programme of races in 2023, including the Spring Classics and the Tour de France.
A professional since 2011, Sagan has claimed 121 career victories, including the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and three successive World Championships from 2015 to 2017. He has also carried the Tour de France green jersey to Paris a record seven times.
“I always said I would like to finish my career on the mountain bike, because I started my career on the mountain bike,” Sagan said. “It gives me some pleasure at the end of my career because I’m doing something I really enjoy.
“It’s important for me to spend time with my son Marlon and to see life from different angles, and not just as a cyclist. It was never my dream to race or to be a professional rider until 40 or 50. I think it’s time now. And if I am going to be able to finish my career in Paris at the Olympics Games, that’s going to be something nice for me.”
Sagan was flanked by his TotalEnergies teammates Maciej Bodnar and Daniel Oss as he announced his retirement, with his former Liquigas teammate Elia Viviani and close friend Fernando Gaviria also on hand for the occasion.
Sagan also indicated that he could continue to ride under the TotalEnergies banner as a mountain biker in 2024, and that he might ride occasional non-WorldTour road event.
“I think all my fans and the people deserved to know now that it was going to be my last year on the road. They need to know. That’s why I made the announcement in San Juan,” Sagan said. “But if I do mountain bike next year, I could still come here to race maybe with the national team or the TotalEnergies team.”
Sagan previously competed in the mountain bike event at the Rio 2016 Olympics, but he said his decision to race in Paris was, above all, about enjoyment.
“It’s not about the medal or something. It’s more about what I want to do,” Sagan said. “There’s not pressure anymore about whether I win or lose. It’s just something I always wanted, to finish my career on mountain bike and next year is Olympic year. But I wanted to do it for me, and not for anybody else.”
Asked if he had a big WorldTour win left in him in 2023, Sagan said: “Definitely yes. I want to finish all the WorldTour races this year at a high level. I’m not just going to enjoy the year. I want to be at my top level.”
