Tour De France 2012: Peter Sagan Collects First of Many Likely Stage Wins

Team Liquigas-Cannondale rider Peter Sagan won his first career Tour de France stage, picking up a solid win during stage 1 of the 99^th edition of the famed race. 

The 198-kilometer stage started in Liege and ended in Seraing, Belgium, and featured the surprisingly difficult Côte de Seraing to finish the stage.

Sagan jumped on Team RadioShack-Nissan rider Fabian Cancellara’s wheel, benefiting from the Swiss rider’s slipstream for more than a kilometer to the finish line.  Joined by Team Sky’s Edvald Boasson Hagen, the trio managed to finish ahead of a surging Philippe Gilbert and the rest of the splintered peloton.

Following the stage win, Sagan had this to say (via CyclingNews):

"

"Of course people told me I was the favourite.  I knew that Chavanel would try something at the end. I wanted to attack at the hardest section. It was very, very good that Cancellara was there. I saw that he had strong legs. It was good to take it easy behind him."

"

Sagan showed that he’s a top-notch talent for the years to come, and today officially put sprinters and specialist riders on notice.  Whether it’s a completely flat stage, or a steep, turbulent finish like stage 1, Sagan has an explosive finish that very few riders can match.

Cancellara retained the yellow jersey, and still has a seven-second lead ahead of Team Sky’s Bradley Wiggins. 

Stage 2 tomorrow is a 208-kilometer, flat stage for the peloton’s fast man, so expect to see Sagan mix it up with the likes of Mark Cavendish, Andre Greipel and Tyler Farrar.

Follow @MHatamoto