On January 26th, one of the most iconic cyclists in the peloton, Peter Sagan , turned 28. The Slovakian rider is the current world champion , a title he has won three times in a row . He is the only cyclist to have achieved this feat, thanks to his victories in 2015 in Richmond, Virginia (United States), in 2016 in Doha (Qatar), and in 2017 in Bergen (Norway). But to say this is merely an appetizer, because his personality and track record are among the most interesting things you'll find anywhere. So come in and get comfortable, because in this article, everything is glorious, right up to dessert.

A global star

Sagan is one of the few cyclists who have managed to transcend the usual reach of cycling news and become known worldwide. Relying on social media and thanks to his blend of fun and effectiveness, he is one of the most popular cyclists on networks like Facebook (where he has over a million followers) and Twitter (where he has over 800,000). And on cycling's "social network," the roadsides, the exact number of followers is unknown, but they are legion, and they shout as if their lives depended on it. Their idol is nicknamed " Tourminator " or " The Bug ," and they're used to his changing appearance. For a while, he might shave, cut his hair, and groom himself as if elegance also counted toward the overall standings, but before long, he might tire of it and grow long hair, a beard, even leg hair (much to the disapproval of the more traditional fans, who still respect this centuries-old practice). Sagan doesn't seem to care what anyone says because he knows that, in the end, the color of the medals he'll receive on the podium will suit him perfectly.

Beginnings in mountain biking

Like other great cyclists, Sagan began competing in mountain bike cross-country (MTB XC) and cyclo-cross at the age of 9. He quickly stood out for his ability and fighting spirit. At the age of 13, he became Slovak MTB XC Champion , a title he repeated the following year. At 16, he won the Regionem Orlicka , a multi-day event, and at 18, he won the MTB XC Junior World Championship. Despite completing several tests with professional road cycling teams, such as Liquigas and Quick-Step, he remained in the world of mountain biking until the age of 20, when he finally signed with the Italian team Liquigas and entered the top flight of road cycling. From the start, he demonstrated his qualities: he is an extraordinary rouleur, with spectacular sprinting, an excellent time trialist, and a true classics rider. Despite having permanently switched to road cycling, he joined his country's mountain bike team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games , although several mechanical failures prevented him from performing well.

His career to date

Sagan currently rides for the German team Bora-Hansgrohe, a team tailor-made for him that he signed for last year. Previously, he played for Dukla Trencin-Merida, Liquigas, and Tinkoff, where he played alongside Alberto Contador. Despite being only 28 years old, his list of achievements is spectacular: - 5 Slovak Road Championships (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015) - 1 Slovak Time Trial Championship (2015) - 3 Road World Championships (2015, 2016 and 2017) He is the first cyclist in history to achieve 3 in a row - 5-time winner of the Green Jersey at the Tour de France (Points Classification or Regularity Prize) (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016). He is the first cyclist to win five consecutive green jerseys in his first five participations in the Tour de France. - 4 stages of the Vuelta a España - 8 stages of the Tour de France As you can see, his only remaining task is to obtain a better classification in a major three-week race, such as the Vuelta, the Giro, or the Tour. Will he be like Sean Kelly or Lorent Jalabert , who had similar characteristics and also won the green jersey several times (4 Kellys and 2 Jalaberts)? Well, at least these two cyclists each won a Vuelta a Espana. Surely, given his age and his quality as a cyclist, Sagan will soon shine in the general classification of a major tour. This year he has already won the “ People's Choice ” classic and a stage of the “ Tour Down Under ”, which is run in Australia.

Peter Sagan's “dressing”

This review of a cyclist's career would have been quite complete if it weren't for Sagan. Talking about his beginnings, career, and achievements means leaving out more than half of the things that make him unique, loved by many and misunderstood by others. And with Sagan, there's always "something more," a " spice ." He's one of the most distinctive riders in the peloton and a magnet for television cameras, who don't hesitate to share their latest idea with the fans. And if there's no camera nearby, he or someone passing by will set one up to share all kinds of crazy things on social media. So you can witness the best Pete Sagan stories, we're sharing links to the videos—we're sure you'll love them. - One of Sagan's trademarks is his ability to perform a wheelie on any terrain, whether uphill or downhill. The crowd loves it and they keep asking for it . Here you can see him doing wheelies on Mont Ventoux and Alpe d'Huez. - Another of his distinguishing features is his ability to go up and down stairs without dismounting his bike . Here you can see Pete Sagan in Denver , delighting fans. - The gym plays an important role in his physical preparation. He goes to the gym several days a week and occasionally shares his workouts. Here you can see him working hard during the 2016 preseason. - One of your latest publications is a true demonstration of flexibility . Would you dare to try it yourself? - He is also good at bike golf , in which you have to hit the ball with the rear wheel without stopping. - Another of his trademarks is his peculiar pronunciation of English, with a heavy emphasis on consonants, almost as if he were a typical Russian from a movie. This, combined with his silences and his peculiar way of answering, brief and with a hint of "Martian," makes for some rather surreal interviews . - And finally, we share with you Sagan's more artistic side. - Here you can see him with his girlfriend parodying the movie Grease . - And here they are imitating Rocky, Gladiator or Pulp Fiction in the same video. That's not all. One of his most talked-about moments took place during a stage of the 2016 Tour de France. The Slovakian suffered a seizure and, to avoid being penalized for doing so anywhere, didn't hesitate to get into a fan's camper van to relieve himself. Of this little gift from Uncle Pete to the fan, there are only a few photos that have gone around the world, in which he can be seen getting in and out of the vehicle. [caption id="attachment_4193" align="aligncenter" width="980"] Photo by Tim de Waele[/caption] As you can see, he's a true character in the squad, whose brilliance comes not only from the fireworks of his craziest moments but from the pure gold he treasures in his legs.