Share

Sagan retains world road race title

Doha - Peter Sagan retained his world road race title in a tight sprint finish in Doha on Sunday, edging his British rival Mark Cavendish into second place.

The Slovakian, who also won in Richmond last year, said the result was "unbelievable".

"I am still in total shock, I am very, very happy," said the 26-year-old.

He is the first rider to retain the road race world title since Italy's Paolo Bettini in Germany in 2007.

Sagan rode a masterful race throughout and was able to squeeze an opening as the sprinters bunched towards the finish line.

It caps a remarkable season for the Slovak who won the points classification at the Tour de France for the fifth consecutive year and the European Road Race championships only last month.

Many had predicted that the race, the final competition of the road world championships, would come down to a shootout between Sagan and Cavendish, and so it proved.

But the Briton, who won the event in 2011, appeared to be checked behind Australia's Michael Matthews as he made his final push towards the line.

Belgium's Tom Boonen finished third.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2246 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE