Sagan looking to maintain form through to Tour de France
The Slovakian will lead the Tinkoff-Saxo team at the Tour de Suisse, which starts this weekend
Peter Sagan will be backed for stage wins at the Tour de Suisse this year as he looks to build on his GC victory in California with the Tour de France looming.
The Tinkoff-Saxo rider won the points jersey in Switzerland in 2014 during a rich vein of form that saw him crowned top sprinter at four successive completed stage races, starting at Tirreno-Adriatico and culminating with the Tour de France's green jersey.
This season, despite a degree of struggle in the classics, he has managed to defend his red jersey at Tirreno-Adriatico in March before taking overall honours at the Tour of California two months later.
>>>On-bike footage of Peter Sagan’s blistering win at the Tour of California (video)
"We're looking to keep the momentum we had in May, while focusing on the build-up towards the Tour," said Tinkoff-Saxo sports director Sean Yates.
Meanwhile, Rafal Majka, the team's main contender for GC honours, will be looking towards stage five to Sölden, which features a summit finish at 2,669m above sea level, but will go into the race under "no pressure", according to the Briton.
"The most important factor is that he builds shape ahead of the Tour, where he will be a very valuable support to Alberto [Contador] in the high mountains," said Yates.
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Follow on Twitter: @richwindy
Richard is digital editor of Cycling Weekly. Joining the team in 2013, Richard became editor of the website in 2014 and coordinates site content and strategy, leading the news team in coverage of the world's biggest races and working with the tech editor to deliver comprehensive buying guides, reviews, and the latest product news.
An occasional racer, Richard spends most of his time preparing for long-distance touring rides these days, or getting out to the Surrey Hills on the weekend on his Specialized Tarmac SL6 (with an obligatory pub stop of course).
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