"There was always some mystique around him" - Oliver Naesen reflects on Peter Sagan's legendary road career

Although he continues in 2024 on a mountain bike, Peter Sagan has called time on his legendary road career. Oliver Naesen was a rival of the Slovakian during his time in the peloton and has recently reflected on Sagan's career.

"He wasn't a screamer," says the longtime servant of the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team in conversation with Cycling Weekly, describing the Slovakian as having 'silent class'. "Even though he had the funky hair and you know, the ski goggles and the podiums and all that. I think that was just like, a way of expressing himself. In the bunch, he was almost always silent. Just you know, only chatting to those guys close to him. He was actually quite discreet."

Although both Sagan and Naesen are close in age, the Belgian admits he always looked up to the Slovakian throughout his career. "He was one of those idols you look up to on TV," Naesen says. "There was always some mystique around him, you know. I never really knew what was going on in his head. That's what I always felt."