Sagan sprints to victory and a stint in the yellow jersey
In the road cycling sphere, few would argue that the two most celebrated prizes for any rider to claim are the rainbow jersey of world champion and yellow jersey worn by the leader of the Tour de France.
After just two stages of the 2018 Tour, Peter Sagan has had a taste of both.
His victory ahead of a reduced field — because of a dramatic crash inside the final few kilometres — earned him the honour of replacing what has become his usual jersey, the one with five stripes across the chest, denoting his status as world champion, for a third successive year no less.
The Slovakian is the leader of the Tour de France. Again. Just as he did in 2016, he took the lead of the race in the opening week… and the mood on the race was elevated. He brings happiness to a serious world.
He is peculiar but also supremely gifted and he makes sports fans smile with his antics, on and off the bike.
The 28-year-old is in a class of his own in a peloton filled with star athletes. But, Sagan admits, he is only the caretaker of the prized 'maillot jaune'.
"If I can keep it until Paris, then it's something different," he said after claiming his ninth Tour de France stage win.
He knows his strengths and although he is one of the most complete — and, some would say, charismatic — riders on the planet, winning the overall title at the Tour de France is another level. He is not that kind of rider.
"I am very happy to have it, for sure. But in the end I won't wear it [the yellow jersey] in Paris. Somebody else is going to hold. I'll stay more focused on the green jersey," he said.
His reference to green relates to the points classification jersey, one that is presented to the most consistent sprinter in the race. Australians know it well for it is a prize that three Aussies have won: Robbie McEwen (2002, 2004 and 2006), Baden Cooke (2003) and Michael Matthews, who earned his podium time in Paris last year.
In 2017, Sagan was disqualified after an incident in stage four. He was accused of causing another former green jersey winner to crash in a violent act in the heat of the sprint for stage honours in Vittel. Mark Cavendish was the victim.
He attempted a manoeuvre that seemed unlikely to end well: up against the barriers, he tried to ride through a gap that was so small he couldn't fit… unless, of course, the riders around him made way. They did not.
Instead, Sagan — who was just to his left — raised an elbow and that was all it took. A dramatic crash ensued for the 2011 world champion (and winner of an amazing 30 stages at the Tour since his debut in 2007).
External Link: Sagan – Cavendish incident on the 2017 Tour
Cavendish was out early in 2017. No stage win.
Sagan was sent home after four days. One stage win.
Matthews remained in the race all the way to the finish. Two stage wins. And victory in the green jersey classification.
In 2018, with Sagan in form and still in the mix, it makes sense that his focus is now on green, not yellow. He made his debut in the Tour in 2012, won a stage on day two… and donned the green jersey for the first time. He has won the sprinters' category every year since, with the exception of last year.
Sagan leading the Tour is good for cycling. His quirky sense of humour, phenomenal bike handling ability, and consistency of victories makes him the biggest star in cycling. He may not be a contender to win the Tour de France outright but there is no personality as large as his in the peloton.
The four-time Tour champion, Chris Froome could, in theory, be considered a rider with broader appeal but his issues with Salbutamol that were exposed in a leak in September last year have made him a divisive figure.
Despite some awkward and embarrassing moments early in his career, including pinching a podium girl while being presented with a runner-up trophy at the Tour of Flanders in 2013, Sagan is hugely popular. No rider in the bunch demands attention quite like he does.
He seems to win on a whim. He giggles at his own jokes. He defies logic with his bike handling and, quite clearly, he enjoys his job.
Sagan makes the serious business of pro cycling fun and having him lead the Tour de France — even if it is just for a day — is sure to help the event sneak out of the doldrums and the dark cloud of cynicism that has lingered for several months, some may say years.
The rainbow jersey will not be in the peloton in stage three, a team time trial around Cholet, instead it will be replaced by a yellow one. And that should make most sports fans happy.
Stage wins earn time bonuses and Sagan now leads the winner of stage one, Fernando Gaviria of Colombia — another rider caught behind in a crash in stage two — by six seconds.
In time we will talk about who could win the yellow jersey, for now the news is all about who is wearing it for the interim.
Matthews hindered but not unhappy
When Peter Sagan and Michael Matthews are in the same race, it's common for the pair to go head-to-head.
They have the same qualities as cyclists: fast, determined, professional, strong and well supported by their respective teams.
In stage two of this year's Tour, the pair didn't get a chance to race each other for line honours.
Matthews was caught up in a crash inside the last three kilometres and, although it looked dramatic, he was all smiles as he warmed down outside the team bus while Sagan was going through the podium protocol and collecting his yellow jersey in La Roche-sur-Yon.
Was the Australian hurt in the crash? "Ah," he smiled, "I'm not really sure yet.
"I got pushed into the barrier and had to sort of jump to avoid people who had crashed in front of me. For now, I'm fine," he surmised before adding, "but maybe it's a bit of adrenaline still masking the pain."
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