Peter Sagan is one of the icons of road racing and recently he showed why. After having achieved significant success in both road racing and mountain biking, Sagan has gone on to add yet another feather to his name. The Slovak cyclist has recently put on a scintillating display and has clinched the Beking Monaco Criterium trophy. This was the third edition of the tournament that Sagan won in style. On his road to victory, the 33-year-old edged past some of the significant favorites who were in serious contention of winning. These included big names like Mark Cavendish from Astana Qazaqstan and Tadej Pogacar from the UAE Team Emirates.
The win held a larger significance for Sagan and his fans. This was the last time that Sagan had mounted on his bicycle in road racing. The Slovak informed earlier that post this race he will be retiring from WorldTour road racing and would shift his focus solemnly on mountain biking as the 2024 Paris Olympics approaches. However, he will continue racing at the Continental level for his team RRK Group-Pierre Baguette-Benzinol. Interestingly, this is a team that has Juraj as its directeur sportif, who happens to be the brother of Sagan. With that being said, let us look at the incredible performance of Sagan at the criterium.
Peter Sagan reaches cycling glory at Monaco
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The criterium was contested fiercely. None of the participants were ready to allow their opponents’ room. However, in the end, it was Sagan who persisted with his nerves of steel. He continued to gruel relentlessly for a total of forty-five laps before outsmarting the favorite Pogacar. The 3x World Champion, after having sensed his victory, went on to entertain the crowd by performing a classic one-handed wheelie as he went past the finishing line.
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The Slovak expressed his joy after the win and stated that winning before switching to a new chapter always felt great. Interestingly, spotted at the event going full throttle was Sagan’s young son. It now remains to be seen whether he can replicate his father’s shenanigans or not. The 33-year-old further went on to say that the entire race felt like a big, fun party in Monaco. Sagan appreciated the crowd and thanked them for turning up in such a large number.
With Sagan looking all set to take the mountain biking community by storm, it will be interesting to know that Beking is much beyond just a tournament.
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The Beking Monaco Criterium: Putting back smiles to the society
The Beking Monaco Criterium is organized as a charity event by Claudia Morandini and her husband Matteo Trentin from the UAE Team Emirates. It is a nonprofit organization whose aim is to raise significant funds and contribute to the welfare of society in different spheres. This included environmental protection, sustainable mobility, bettering education and sports infrastructure, and so on.
Sagan, the champion, was full of praise for Beking. He stated, “Beking is still young, but it shows the immense potential of sport in its role as an educator and social awareness-raiser, and I am really happy to play my part in this project.”
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With the Olympics fast approaching, fans would definitely hope Sagan continues this form and make it big on the grandest stages.
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