Tinkoff rider plays down Olympics motivation

Tinkoff rider Peter Sagan harbours ambitions to be an Olympic champion, but not at the expense of his other goals in cycling.

Sagan is one of the best sprinters in the history of cycling, and has won the green jersey for winning the points classification at the Tour de France four years running.

The Slovakian also won the men's elite road race at the UCI Road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia, in September.

However, many consider that the 2016 road race for the Rio Olympic Games is better suited to the climbers.

Sagan, 25, stated that Rio is not his only chance for Olympic gold, though, and says triumphing in Brazil is part of his wider ambitions in the next 12 months.

"Maybe [I can win at] the Olympic Games in 2020 also," he told Omnisport. "The season is long, especially in the cycling season.

"It's not about the Olympic games because for me I have three parts of the season. The Classics, the Tour de France and if I'm good I will see about Rio, and then the world championships.

"I have a lot of opportunities to produce some results."

Sagan confirmed that his primary motivation is to win a green jersey at the Tour for a fifth consecutive year.

"It's more important for me for sure to wear the green jersey because now I have a good collection and if I can do something more it's better still," he added.