Peter Sagan’s latest interruption to his efforts to qualify for, and ultimately race, the mountain bike cross country event at the Paris Olympic Games are expected to be relatively short-lived, with the three-time road world champion saying he is confident he will be back training after 15 days of rest following his second heart surgery this year.
The Slovakian rider, who stepped back from the WorldTour at the end of last season to focus on the mountain bike, had a cardiac recording device implanted on February 23 after striking problems with abnormal heart rhythms while racing in Spain.
Sagan, who had announced he had joined Specialized Factory Racing last week, had been expected to line up at the MTB French Cup in Marseille last weekend but the device detected a supraventricular tachycardia on Saturday, March 16th during a training ride and then in the following days the rider flagged that his heart would require a ‘pit stop’. Having now undergone that surgery Sagan shared a medical report on Thursday on social media.
“Dr. Roberto Corsetti, the Sports Cardiologist who looks after Peter, decided to have a new electrophysiological cardiac assessment performed. Yesterday, March 20th, at the Torrette Lancisi University Hospital in Ancona, a transcatheter ablation for the supraventricular tachycardia was performed by Professor Antonio Dello Russo, in the presence of Dr. Corsetti,” said the post.
Sagan foreshadowed before the second procedure that he did not expect to be off his bike long at what is a crucial juncture in his plans for Paris. The 34 year old is not only focused on training for the Olympics but also on the lead in races this season, as either he or other riders from his nation need to deliver a significant turn up in results to make sure Slovakia can qualify for a spot in the field of 36.
Nation’s ranked 1-8 in the qualification ranking are able to send two riders to the race on Monday July 29, while those ranked 9-19 qualify for one. The ranking period ends on May 26 and Slovakia, according to the UCI ranking page, is currently ranked 35th.
“I feel very well following the quick pit stop my heart needed and after 15 days of rest I’m confident I will be back on my bike to train,” said Sagan in the post.
That will take the date he resumes traning to only a little before the first UCI Mountain Bike World Cup series men’s cross country olympic race for 2024, casting considerable doubt over whether he will take place in the event at Mairiporã Brazil on April 14, little more than three weeks away.
That, too, is then quickly followed by another round of the series, which will provide valuable points opportunities, with the World Cup staying in Brazil and moving to Araxá, Minas Gerais on April 21. Other major events in the qualifying period then include the European Championships cross-country race on Sunday May 12 and the final World Cup to fall within it will be Nové Město on May 26.
