Peter Sagan’s palmares is growing rapidly and the Slovakian is desperate to add a first Monument to it. He missed out at Milan-San Remo despite a sterling team effort by Cannondale but after bouncing straight back to form at E3 Harelbeke, he will be keen to better last season’s second place.
He is undoubtedly the form-rider of the ‘big three’ – first at E3 Harelbeke, third at Gent-Wevelgem and then first on the opening day of the Three Days of De Panne before withdrawing to concentrate on the Ronde. Add to that a dominant sprint victory on stage three of Tirreno-Adriatico and a win from the break at the Tour of Oman and Sagan is showing the prime form he will need to add the elusive first Monument to his palmares. If he has learned the lessons of his defeat last year – where he could not match Cancellara on the Paterberg – he is more than capable of winning.
