Quebec (AFP)

More so strong Sagan? The three-time world champion from Slovakia, who has been in a low season, far from his usual standards, has been caught up by a new generation of racers and the weariness of the circuit.

With only four wins in 2018, Peter Sagan had not won much since his World Tour debut.

In Canada, where he has to play the Grand Prix of Quebec Friday and Sunday of Montreal, the 29-year-old Slovakian has said he is "happy with (his) season" without getting bogged down in his answers, quickly shipped.

Remains only two weeks away from the online race of the world championships in Yorkshire (September 29), the route that would have been said for him, not so long ago, the leader of Bora is far from given arch-favorite.

At the lowest point in the spring with his successive retirements on the Amstel Gold Race then the Flèche Wallonne before forfeiting Liège-Bastogne-Liège, "Peto" found the resources to win a stage victory on the Tour and especially to win a 7th green jersey. An absolute record that surpasses the 6 emerald fabrics reported in Paris by Erik Zabel.

This is the paradox of the Slovakian season: far from past but perhaps historical performance. In case of victory in England in two weeks, he would become the only rider to have seized four times the road rainbow jersey.

A new record which believes Charly Mottet, coach of the team of France during the last tricolor at the Worlds: "These races in circuit, it likes it.It is his domain", judge the former French climber who has found "better" for a few months.

"It was due to his fall in the Tour last year, it took a while to recover, it was a long time off the bike," he said.

For Sagan, the first moment of truth will be Friday in Quebec City. The two times he won on the shores of the St. Lawrence (in 2016 and 2017), he was crowned world champion in stride.

"These two races (in Quebec City and then Montreal) will also be very good to gauge me compared to the others," he admitted. Even if the Slovak, always so expeditious, assures them "as a preparation" for Yorkshire.

- "Loulou" new darling-

On his classicman niche capable of sprinting, cash bumps and kilometers, two phenomena have exploded this season: cyclo-crossmen Wout van Aert and Mathieu van der Poel, come from another discipline than the road, as Sagan (ATVs). As a symbol, it was the Dutchman van der Poel who won the Amstel Gold Race while "Peto" gave up.

On his niche public darling, too, the new generation is shading him. "Loulou" Alaphilippe - as he is known throughout the pack - who shares with Sagan the taste of panache and antics, loving microphones and cameras after his Tour de France - and even his season - sensational.

This is not to displease the Slovak who no longer hides his weariness of media obligations and more generally the world of cycling: "I am happy that a career does not take too many years," said Sagan late last year in an interview at the Dutch magazine Fiets. "It's impossible for me to imagine another fifteen years in this world of cycling."

© 2019 AFP