Peter Sagan has announced that 2023 will be his last season as a professional road racer. At a press conference in San Juan on Thursday evening, Sagan announced that he will not compete in any World Tour races after this season, but will compete in the mountain bike competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

"I would say the time has come," Sagan said. 'I've decided I want to end this season as a World Tour racer. I want to prepare for the Olympics in mountain biking."

The announcement was made at a reception at the motor racing circuit Vilcam, where Sagan celebrated his 33rd birthday at the Vuelta a San Juan. Sagan, a native of Slovakia, is in the second season of a two-year contract with Total Energy and indicated that in 2023 he will participate in a familiar racing program that includes the Spring Classics and the Tour de France.

A professional since 2011, Sagan has won 121 races, including the Tour de Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, and three consecutive world championships from 2015 to 2017. He has also carried the Tour de France green jersey to Paris a record seven times.

"I always say that I started my career in mountain biking and I want to finish my career in mountain biking," Sagan Sagan said.

"It gives me a lot of joy because at the end of my career, I'm doing something that I really enjoy."

"Spending time with my son Marlon is important, not only as a cyclist, but to look at life from different angles... Until I was 40 or 50, I never dreamed of racing or being a professional athlete. I think now is the time. If I can finish my career at the Paris Olympics, that would be great for me."

Sagan was watched by his Total Energies teammates Maciej Bodnar and Daniel Os as he announced his retirement, while former Liquigas teammate Elia Viviani and close friend Fernando Gaviria were also on hand.

Sagan also indicated that he may continue to ride under the TotalEnergies banner as a mountain biker in 2024, and that he may occasionally participate in road events outside of the World Tour.

"I think my fans and people should have known that this would be my last year on the road. They need to know. That's why I announced it in San Juan. But if I do mountain bike next year, there's still a chance I'll be here to race for the national team or the Total Energies team."

Sagan previously competed in the mountain bike events at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but said his decision to race in Paris was more for fun than anything else.

"It's not about medals or anything. It's about what you want to do," Sagan said. The pressure to win or lose is gone. Next year is an Olympic year. But I wanted to do it for myself, not for anyone else."

Sagan said that the medal was "a great opportunity for me.

Sagan was asked if there are any big WorldTour wins left in 2023, to which he replied: "Definitely yes. I want to finish all the World Tour races this year at a high level. I don't want to just enjoy this year. I want to be at my top level.