Peter Sagan forced to undergo second heart operation

Slovakian's bid to make the Paris Olympics suffers another blow, as return to training throws up more heart rhythm problems

12:41, Sunday 17th March 2024

George Poole

Junior Writer

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Peter Sagan was hoping to make a return to the Olympic Games this summer in the mountain bike event

Just a few weeks after leaving hospital, fan favourite Peter Sagan has been forced to take another break away from training and will undergo another round of heart surgery over the coming week. The news was revealed by the Slovakian on his Instagram page.

"While I was training on the rocky trails in Marseille, my heart hit a few bumps," wrote the 33-year-old. "Nothing to worry about, you could say that my heart needs a pit stop.

"I will undergo surgery next week and thanks to my friend, sports cardiologist Dr. Roberto Corsetti, I am sure I will be back in the saddle very soon."

The news will come as a blow to Sagan's hopes of competing in this summer's Paris Olympic Games, which was always going to be a long shot with the points he need to acquire for Slovakia over the next few months. The next round of surgery will be the second on Sagan's heart in a matter of weeks.

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During a recent mountain bike race, Sagan's heart rate was found to exceed 200 beats per minute, a worrying discovery for the three-time former world road race champion. Sagan subsequently underwent an ablation procedure to correct the arrhythmias in his heart.

At first, it appeared as though the operation had been a success, with Sagan discharged from hospital and cleared for a return to training just a little over a week on from his procedure. However, his comeback to training has not lasted long before further irregularities have been discovered.

The plan for Sagan's return to racing will have to be put on the back burner whilst the latest issue is dealt with by a specialist team.

Just two days ago, the recently retired former road racer had been formally announced as the latest member of the Specialized Factory Racing mountain bike team, which includes the likes of Christopher Blevins, Victor Koretzky, and Martin Vidaurre Kossmann.

"It's nice to be part of this great team and structure. From our first pedal together on a Specialized bike in 2015 to now we haven't just been partners, we are good friends," Sagan had posted on Instagram.

"I look forward to hitting the trails in 2024 with our sleek new Epic8 and our new cool colours."

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His first race in the blue, pink and yellow of Specialized Factory Racing will have to wait, as Sagan, his team and his many supporters await the outcome of this second round of heart surgery.

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