Video: Peter Sagan signs autobiography for fan mid race ... again

Here’s something no-one would have had on their procycling bingo cards at the start of the year – three-time world champion signing a copy of his autobiography mid-race, just a few months after it appeared that he had ridden the final road race of a career that saw him rack up no fewer than 121 victories.

> Peter Sagan retiring at end of season to focus on MTB at Paris Olympics

If the scenario seems familiar, its because it recreates a scene from the 2019 edition of the Tour de France when Sagan, winner of the green points jersey in the race a frecord seven times, signed a copy of the same book proffered to him by a fan while he rode up the Col de Tourmalet in the autobus, the nickname given to the group of non-climbing specialists who typically tackle the mountain stages far behind the attentions of the TV cameras.

> Peter Sagan signs book for fan mid-stage on Col du Tourmalet

The Slovak rider, who first came to prominence as world junior mountain bike champion, had been focused on winning Olympic gold in cross-country mountain biking in Paris this summer.

But his preparations for a race where Great Britain’s Tom Pidcock hopes to retain the title he won in Tokyo three years ago have been disrupted following the discovery earlier this year of an abnormal heart condition, with the 34 year old undergoing surgery in March.

> Peter Sagan had abnormal tachycardic episode during MTB race, will undergo heart procedure

Certainly no-one expected to see the former Bora-Hamsgrohe and Total Energies rider back on the road this year, so it came as a huge surprise to pretty much the entire sport when he was announced as part of the Slovakia-based Pierre Baguette team for this week’s Tour de Hongrie.

He did it again 😭

Peter Sagan 🤝🏼 signing his book during the stage. #TourdeHongrie pic.twitter.com/OkohwV7zfu

— Pierre Baguette team (@pierrebagteam) May 10, 2024

The lucky fan this time round was one Bence Lipkovics, who can be seen in this picture posted to X proudly holding his book autographed by Sagan.

Correction: At the photo is Bence Lipkovics and not Olivér Tamás.

— Pierre Baguette team (@pierrebagteam) May 11, 2024

Sagan has said that he is taking part in the five-day race to help build his fitness levels and that following its conclusion tomorrow he will then take stock of the situation before deciding upon his future plans.

This summer would be Sagan’s third Olympic appearance if he takes to the start line.

On his Games debut at London 2012, aged 22, he finished 34th in the road race. Four years later in Rio, despite being the reigning road world champion, he switched to mountain biking but punctured during the race and finished 35th.

For the 2020 Tokyo Olympics – delayed until the summer of 2021 due to the global coronavirus pandemic – Sagan intended to take part in the road race, but was forced to shelve his plans due to a knee infection picked up following a crash at the Tour de France and that also led to his abandoning the race.