# Sagan's first mountain bike race didn't go so good.



## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

If anyone is wondering how his first race back on a mountain bike went it was a DNF because of a crash. It looks like he went down hard and got his bell rung. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OYgMWbKrHA&feature=youtu.be
This was a regional race I guess because the World Cup was in Australia this weekend. Its going to be really interesting when he goes up against the real Pros in the next WC if it happens.


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## Jwiffle (Mar 18, 2005)

How was he doing before the crash?


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

Jwiffle said:


> How was he doing before the crash?


I don't know I can't find any actual reports. Funny if it went well and he had won the race it would be all over the place. My guess is this was supposed to be an easy win for him because it was a race with out any of the top level XC pros.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

Where is the crash footage? Video didn't show the actual crash. The course shown in the video looks like easy stuff. Didn't see any rip in his clothing or blood or dirt on his face or body. But who knows, the way he's walking, maybe his family jewels might have hit the seat a bit hard and decided to call it a day. It happens in mtb sometimes!


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

This is the only coverage I have seen and its not in english. Video - Schwerer Sturz: Peter Sagan musste in Stattegg aufgeben > Kleine Zeitung
There is a thread over in MTBR and the guys are saying they think his fit on the bike looks odd and that at the end you can see grass sticking out of his helmet. It could be hair too.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

thanks for the video. Yep, he ate it alright. I'm very surprised considering how we always talk about his bike handling skills and the trickles of youtube videos of him doing stunts on his road bike (which is presumably harder than doing stunts on an mtb bike). But hey, it happens in mtb. You can be a good bike handler, but if for that one time you misjudge something, down you go. The good thing is it's a lot easier to go down in dirt than on asphalt. As long as you can walk away with your teeth and bones fully intact, it's a good get-off right!

And homeboy needs to cut his hair. Cmon Peter, that hair may be cute if you're trying to be a teeny blooper heart throb. You're not. You a bicycle racer.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

aclinjury said:


> thanks for the video. Yep, he ate it alright. I'm very surprised considering how we always talk about his bike handling skills and the trickles of youtube videos of him doing stunts on his road bike (which is presumably harder than doing stunts on an mtb bike). But hey, it happens in mtb. You can be a good bike handler, but if for that one time you misjudge something, down you go. The good thing is it's a lot easier to go down in dirt than on asphalt. As long as you can walk away with your teeth and bones fully intact, it's a good get-off right!
> 
> And homeboy needs to cut his hair. Cmon Peter, that hair may be cute if you're trying to be a teeny blooper heart throb. You're not. You a bicycle racer.


Doing stunts and playing for the camera are totally different then racing under stress in technical trail features. If any one watches XC World Cups you know modern XC races are vary technical. I really hope he does the next World Cup I really want to see how he does with the top guys in the world.


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## JohnStonebarger (Jan 22, 2004)

You guys make it sound like Sagan is new to MTB. He's not.


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## tlg (May 11, 2011)

pulser955 said:


> Doing stunts and playing for the camera are totally different then racing under stress in technical trail features. If any one watches XC World Cups you know modern XC races are vary technical.


I'm pretty sure he worked out that whole stress thing while technical riding a few years ago.

2008
1st MTB World Championships Juniors
1st MTB European Championships Juniors
2nd Cyclo-cross World Championships Juniors


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

tlg said:


> I'm pretty sure he worked out that whole stress thing while technical riding a few years ago.
> 
> 2008
> 1st MTB World Championships Juniors
> ...


Racing road and being a dedicated mountain bike racer are two totally different things. I'm not saying he can't ride I am just questioning how he's going to go in a WC. I really want to see him race the Albstadt WC and see how he compares to Schurter and Abrasion. IF you don't watch or race XC its easy to look at him and think he has a shot. But he's been away from that level of XC racing for a long time. And the courses have gotten so technical most of the riders have changed over to full suspension and some are even using dropper posts. Top level WX XC is way different from U23.Mathieu van Der Poel raced the last WC looking for points for the Olympics and he didn't stand out at all was some 40sec down a lap to the leaders.


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## JohnStonebarger (Jan 22, 2004)

Didn't MvDP start in 70+ position and finish 32nd? Not bad for a beginner.

I'm not saying these guys are at Schurter and Absalon's level (not even other pro XCOs are at their level). But this wasn't Sagan's first MTB race, and one bad crash/result doesn't mean a thing.


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## ewarnerusa (Oct 11, 2007)

I didn't think Sagan had any intention of entering any MTB World Cups. I certainly wish he would!
Sagan racing mountain bikes this spring - VeloNews.com


> Peter Sagan (Tinkoff), a junior world mountain bike champion back in 2008, will race two mountain bike events following a short break after the cobbled classics. The 26-year-old Slovakian is set to toe the start line at races in Austria and the Czech Republic before he gets back on the road bike for the Amgen Tour of California.
> Read more at Sagan racing mountain bikes this spring - VeloNews.com


So he did his race in Austria and has one in Czechia remaining. There is no Nove Mesto, CZE World Cup this year, although they are hosting MTB World Champs at the end of June/early July. I'm guessing he's entering "30 Apr	Czech Strabag MTB cup	Teplice	CZE". 
Mountain Bike - Calendar

As a big MVDP fan, I was happy to see him in Cairns last weekend for the MTB World Cup. He started like a beast and made up like 30 spots in no time. Julien Absalon dropped way back in the field early on due to a flat and miserable wheel change in the pits and found himself in the same group as MVDP. We XC MTB geeks were thrilled at this opportunity for MVDP to be literally racing head to head with the best MTB World Cup racer ever, just to see what happens. Both would face identical obstacles regarding moving up through traffic and being subject to the events occurring in front of them. Absalon left that group in no time and arguably put in the best performance of the day by moving nearly all the way back to the front of the race for a 3rd place result. MVDP on the other hand remained in that group for some time but I do think he moved up a bit. He did have a late race mechanical which sent him backwards and skewed his finish position relative to his performance. The kid has got the motor and his incredible CX skills are certainly a benefit, but he's got some work to do to challenge the top MTB XC field. He was losing double digit seconds on every lap compared to the front of the field.







UCI MTB WORLD CUP - XCO - DHI Cairns - Men Elite / World Cup - MTBCrossCountry
2016 World Cup Thread - Page 18- Mtbr.com


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

There is a video if Sagan's second race. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CdMQ2HefHI He looks allot better on the bike. He finished 4th I wonder how hard he was pushing it. And it looks like they had a guy in the race just to stay with him. Notice the guy in a few of the shots in the green baggy shorts just saying with him. I still wish he would do a World Cup just to see how he would do.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

So GoPro is doing a series of videos behind the scenes of World Tour races. They did the second episode at Sagan's second mountain bike race. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgzx_uOMf9c
Super cool to see a little of his personality. Sometimes you watch him in races and think he's just a show off. But I watch stuff like this and think he's a cool guy and he's really having the time of his life. He's really growing up as world champ. I can't wait to see how he becomes one of the big leaders in peloton as guys like Cancellara retire.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

I guess this is what the mtb xc racing was all about:

Olympic Games: Slovak Cycling Association seeks wildcard MTB place for Sagan | Cyclingnews.com


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

Great clip, his wife seems pretty cool too. I'm a fan of Sagan and he does have some great bike skills and fitness. Would like to see him race World Cup to see how he could do and it would surely boost coverage of those events.

As fit and talented as Peter is I still don't think he would come close to Nino or Julien, those guys are on another level and the third place guy is usually minutes behind them.


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Whoever said they would like to see him against the world's best, it looks like you will be getting your wish:

Sagan will skip Olympic road race in favor of MTB race - VeloNews.com


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

And it looks like one of the best in world is saying SO WHAT. 

Sagan will struggle to win medal at Rio 2016 Olympics, says Fontana - News shorts | Cyclingnews.com

I tend to agree I would be surprised if he was in the top 10.


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## ewarnerusa (Oct 11, 2007)

So this happened this weekend. Peter Sagan raced the Pierre's Hole 50k endurance mountain bike race in Grand Targhee, ID. He won by something like 20 minutes. Nice training race for Rio MTB race.

I'm not sure if the embed code will work. Here's a link to a Facebook from Sagan's page.
https://www.facebook.com/PeterSagan/posts/10154397855454467


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## dcb (Jul 21, 2008)

Sagan was doing great and hanging in the top 3 but then he got a flat front tire. Since there's nobody following these guys around to help change them he had to ride it to the next pit area where he could get it changed. He's 2:10 back now so not looking too good.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

dcb said:


> Sagan was doing great and hanging in the top 3 but then he got a flat front tire. Since there's nobody following these guys around to help change them he had to ride it to the next pit area where he could get it changed. He's 2:10 back now so not looking too good.


Really wish I could watch the race. I don't have cable. All I can do is wait till its over.


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## ewarnerusa (Oct 11, 2007)

It seemed like Sagan had the strength and speed to immediately make the front. But lacked the race acumen and finesse and broke his bike. Flats can be fickle and happen randomly. But can also occur when not making good tactical decisions through technical sections, especially when under pressure. Without a doubt, Sagan is a beast. It will be interesting to look at lap times.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

ewarnerusa said:


> It seemed like Sagan had the strength and speed to immediately make the front. But lacked the race acumen and finesse and broke his bike. Flats can be fickle and happen randomly. But can also occur when not making good tactical decisions through technical sections, especially when under pressure. Without a doubt, Sagan is a beast. It will be interesting to look at lap times.


It sounds like it went about how I thought it would.


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## BacDoc (Aug 1, 2011)

Sagan looked really good at the first half of the first lap but after that flat and others I don't think he had one clean lap.

Course looked amazing and as others have said line choice and experience are as important as fitness and bike handling. Some of those sections looked really gnarly.

Nino lived up to the rep and rode a perfect race, making the winning attack at exactly the right time. Sagan should have hung back keeping the leaders in sight and just concentrated on clean line and then making a move after 3rd lap. Would never beat Nino but might have podium chance.

I'm a big Sagan fan but would be surprised if he finished anywhere near the podium guys. If he had a dozen World Cup type races before the Olympics then maybe he could be a contender.


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## teoteoteo (Sep 8, 2002)

ewarnerusa said:


> It seemed like Sagan had the strength and speed to immediately make the front. But lacked the race acumen and finesse and broke his bike. Flats can be fickle and happen randomly. But can also occur when not making good tactical decisions through technical sections, especially when under pressure. Without a doubt, Sagan is a beast. It will be interesting to look at lap times.


I covered a race where an MTB pro was quoted as saying racing behind Armstrong on an MTB was like watching someone grocery shop with a ferrari.


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## pulser955 (Apr 18, 2009)

Someone posted this over on MTBR its Sagan's second flat. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJdXMDJj-74/


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## jlandry (Jan 12, 2007)

pulser955 said:


> Someone posted this over on MTBR its Sagan's second flat.
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/BJdXMDJj-74/


WTF. He hit that rock like a 10 year old.

...and don't these guys run tubeless?


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## ewarnerusa (Oct 11, 2007)

It was tubeless. You can see the sealant spray out.


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