Peter Sagan had a solid weekend with a second place at the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. The Tinkoff rider is in his ninth season in the professional peloton, but he has not won a big classic yet. According to Paolo Bettini, he will be the main favourite this season. 

"I think that to win a big race like the World Championships is very important for your head. This year is very important," Bettini told Cycling Weekly. "Peter is a big rider, he’s very talented. I think the win in the World Championships last year is a big, important passage [for him]. He is very strong, yes he’s won the green jersey [at the Tour de France] two, three, four times, but in the big Classics no — second, third, second, third."

"After you win the World Championships all the world looks at the jersey — this is not easy approaching the races, but I think Peter is simple. He’s a showman but he’s a simply guy. I think it’s possible this year, he is very strong yes."

With the rainbow jersey, the world champions are even more motivated to win. Bettini was the last rider to win a Monument while wearing the rainbow jersey, when he won Il Lombardia in 2006. "Normally all races are good for him; Milan-San Remo, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix — Liège-Bastonge-Liège is hard for him — but the first part of the season, the big Classics from Tirreno [Adriatico] and the first part of February, is all good for him. He’s not only a big rider, he’s a character," he added. "It’s very important [for cycling]. The only rider in this moment who is not only a rider — he’s a big rider but a big showman. The last after Peter is Mario Cipollini."