Peter Sagan to start 2017 season at Tour Down Under

Peter Sagan will kick off his 2017 season at the Tour Down Under in January, his first race with the Bora-Hansgrohe team.

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The Slovakian rider announced his participation via Twitter, along with a video of himself in a breakaway with Cadel Evans, Alejandro Valverde, and Luis Leon Sanchez in the 2010 edition of the event, his first ever race as a professional.

In a sign of what was to come, Sagan picked up some half-decent results on his professional debut, including placing third and fourth on two separate stages (once Alejandro Valverde was taken out of the equation with his retrospective ban for his involvement in Operation Puerto).

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Unlike many other riders, Sagan seems to enjoy early season races, having competed in January's Tour de San Luis in Argentina for three out of the last four years, although never taking a stage win.

The Tour Down Under will be Sagan's first race in his three year contract with Bora-Hansgrohe, and will run from 14 - 22 January.