This article first appeared on Cyclingnews.
Peter Sagan has unveiled the jersey he will wear for the next few months after ending his three-year run in the rainbow stripes at the weekend. Though he is no longer in the jersey of world champion, Sagan will not revert to Bora-Hansgrohe team colours and will instead wear the Slovakian champion’s jersey.
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Sagan won the Slovakian title in June for the first time in three years after being the title holder between 2011 and 2015. He has only spent one-and-a-half seasons in normal team colours since turning professional with Liquigas in 2010.
The 28-year-old’s jersey — made by Sportful — for the remainder of this year and the first half of next season will not be too visually different compared to what fans have been used to seeing him wear in recent seasons.
The jersey will remain white with the Slovakian flag replacing the rainbow stripes across the centre. The colours of the rainbow will still feature prominently on the sleeves and collar.
Once again, as he did during his time as world champion, Sagan will wear black shorts with his white jersey. On the shorts, the white, blue and red bands of the Slovakian flag will replace the rainbow stripes at the bottom.
Sagan ended his reign as world champion on Sunday after being dropped from the bunch with more than 90 kilometres to go, and eventually stepping off the bike at the end of the lap. Alejandro Valverde took the title after 15 years of trying and Sagan gifted the jersey to the Spaniard on the podium, an idea he got from boxing.
""I gave it to him because at least so I had the chance to touch the new world championship jersey, which for three years has been with me and was starting to be heavy,” he said at a Sportful event in Italy.
“In boxing, the contenders pass the belt so I asked the UCI if it was possible, I was proud to pass my jersey to Alejandro and he was happy about it, I told him to enjoy the shirt and take it around the world."