Diplomatic Sagan happy to help leader

Peter Sagan may have won the green jersey the last three years but the Slovak insists he is happy to play a support role for Alberto Contador at the Tour de France this year.

Sagan, 25, left Cannondale at the end of last season as they merged with Garmin to join Tinkoff-Saxo, where Contador was already the well-established team leader.

And while Sagan would normally expect to ride for himself, aiming to add to his four stage victories and claim another green jersey, he said he is happy to play second fiddle this time around.

"The most important thing in the Tour de France is the yellow jersey," said Sagan diplomatically.

"I think everybody knows this, also for me it's very nice to be in the team and trying to fight for the yellow jersey.

"It will be very nice but also possibly I can (fight for) the green jersey if it comes along.

"I don't know if it will be easy or not (to go for it) but the most important thing is yellow."

Sagan did not win a stage last year, finishing in the top five on seven stages in a row at one point.

He came under fire for failing to win a race in the second half of the season but eventually found his form in 2015 after a tricky start.

He could manage only fourth at Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders but he then won two stages and the overall title at the Tour of California, another stage at Tirreno-Adriatico and two more at the Tour of Switzerland.

Several stages in the first week of the Tour suit his capabilities and whatever he says publically, it would be a surprise not to see him battling it out at the front right from the off.
Source: AFP