{"id":186627,"date":"2021-09-30T09:10:50","date_gmt":"2021-09-30T09:10:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=186627"},"modified":"2021-09-30T09:11:18","modified_gmt":"2021-09-30T09:11:18","slug":"peter-sagan-not-afraid-of-a-wet-paris-roubaix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2021\/09\/30\/peter-sagan-not-afraid-of-a-wet-paris-roubaix\/","title":{"rendered":"Peter Sagan Not Afraid of a Wet Paris-Roubaix"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2018 winner believes wet conditions could make this weekend\u2019s race an extra special edition.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Sunday in Hell could be the first wet one since 2002. Peter Sagan has experienced the Roubaix cobbles in wet and windy conditions during the 2014 Tour de France. He finished fifth in the last edition of the race in 2019 and with the points classification from the Giro under his belt and overall win at the Tour of Slovakia<\/a> this month, he should be counted as one of the serious contenders.<\/p>\n

\"Peter<\/a>
Sagan at the Tour of Slovakia. \u00a9 Profimedia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI have never ridden an edition of Paris-Roubaix<\/a> in the rain,\u201d Sagan told Belga. \u201cSometimes it’s wet on a few slivers from the rain in the days before but on the day itself, we never got any rain on us.<\/p>\n

“I do remember the 2014 Roubaix ride. It was very special. Well, a Roubaix stage in the Tour is always different because the classification riders also have their interests. In the spring, you only see the classic riders, everyone is even more nervous [at] the Tour. I remember that then on the first stretch, everything fell apart and it went really fast, from the start in Ypres to the end.<\/p>\n

“No, I’m not going to be afraid if it’s wet but I do know that it will be special. Anyway, you can’t compare those few lanes in a Roubaix stage at the Tour with the real Roubaix. That is a battle of attrition and rain makes it even more difficult. I know that from 2014.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Just four days left until the start of one of the hardest but most beautiful races of the season @Paris_Roubaix @BORAhansgrohe<\/a> @BORAGmbH @Hansgrohe_PR<\/a> @iamspecialized<\/a> @sportful<\/a> @ride100percent<\/a> <\/p>\n

(Photos @bettiniphoto<\/a>) pic.twitter.com\/JJi42uspnq<\/a><\/p>\n

— Peter Sagan (@petosagan) September 29, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n