Tour de France this year. The Slovak cyclis

RIO DE JANEIRO -- World road race champion Peter Sagan is switching gears at the Olympics.Hes also realistic about his chances on the mountain bike.Technically, I am not bad. I am not here to lose, Sagan said. Can I win? If I lose, I am not disappointed. If I win, its so good.One of the worlds most respected riders, Sagan has the resume to back up a flamboyant personality, with three stage wins in the Tour de France this year. The Slovak cyclist clinched the best sprinters green jersey for the fifth consecutive time.He is also a fan favorite for his movie star looks, with long hair and five oclock shadow. Sagan looked the role on Tuesday with his hair pulled back in a bun and sunglasses resting on his head as he walked on to a stage.Slovakia has never had a such a big sports star like Peter, Slovak Olympic Team spokesman Lubomir Soucek boasted during a news conference.Sagan is also aware of his limitations.In January, he tested the road course in Rio de Janeiro and determined that it was too hilly for him to contend. He made the decision then to switch to mountain bike.In June, the Slovak Olympic Committee made it official and awarded Sagan its sole lone starting spot for mountain bike for Rio.A dream that was dashed in London in 2012 was fulfilled four years later. The 26-year-old Sagan isnt entirely a stranger to mountain biking since he was a junior champion in that discipline.I raced the road race in London and I already wanted to race mountain bike there but it was not possible, Sagan said Tuesday. For sure, its a big dream for me.After the Tour de France, Sagan started getting ready for Rio with altitude training in Utah and Wyoming. He blew away the competition at the Pierres Hole 50 .The mens mountain bike race on Sunday wont be quite as quaint. Switzerlands Nino Schurter and Frances Julien Absalon are the top favorites .But competing on the mountain bike isnt just about winning for Sagan.I have not raced mountain bike in seven years. A lot of things have changed, he said. Im here for more personal (reasons). I want to try. ... I will give the maximum for sure.Sagan also has no regrets about skipping the road race, won by Greg van Avermaet of Belgium on Aug. 6.Im surprised in the victory of Greg, he said. But the road race in the Olympics is a strange race. There is not a strong field, it depends on the legs, it depends on the luck.Van Avermaet, Sagan added, was also a bit lucky due to the crash involving the others, but the Olympic gold medal is for all of life.---Online:AP Summer Games site: http://summergames.ap.org/ Cheap Pirates Jerseys . The return match will take place next Wednesday. Udinese leads Fiorentina 2-1 in the other semifinal. Napoli staged a second-half comeback from two goals down after Gervinhos opener and a stunning strike from Kevin Strootman. Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic . There are some early surprises in the race for the Hart Trophy, but two of the contenders are the leagues biggest stars over the past decade. There are many more players in contention for the awards than just the three that Ive named, and a good or bad week can easily alter the landscape, but through the first 20 or so games of the NHL season, this is how the awards races look to me. http://www.cheappiratesjerseys.com/?tag=cheap-barry-bonds-jersey . MORITZ, Switzerland -- Fog prevented downhill racers from getting their Olympic dress rehearsal. Cheap Kent Tekulve Jersey . PETERSBURG, Fla. Cheap Pirates Jerseys Authentic . "Four now," Carl Gunnarsson told the Leaf Report proudly following a 5-2 victory over New York on Tuesday night, the clubs fifth straight at home. SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- Two weeks removed from the round of a lifetime, Henrik Stenson was asked to ponder if he left all he had on the west coast of Scotland, a 10-birdie, final-round 63 just 14 days earlier that produced a major championship trophy and memories to be savored.The Claret Jug will forever be part of his trophy case, but it was almost unfair to have to gear up for another major championship so soon. With barely any time to rest or recharge, Stenson, 40, gave it a run Sunday at the PGA Championship, a back-nine double bogey finally derailing his hopes of a second straight major championship.Of course the week took a lot of energy out of me, said Stenson, who shot a final-round 71 to tie for seventh, 6 strokes back of winner Jimmy Walker. We havent got time to recharge. Given all that, Im pretty pleased that I was one of the guys who was up there contending this week. Going to take a lot of positive out of that.Mental fatigue or just not my day ... its hard to say. But I didnt play my best today and I needed to bring a better game today to have a chance.It didnt help that Stenson was unable to play any of the third round on Saturday, which was suspended due to heavy rain and dangerous conditions. He never got on the course after opening the tournament with consecutive 67s, and said it was a missed opportunity.He had to play 36 holes on Sunday -- as did all of those in contention -- and struggled too find any form, even though he shot 67 in the morning to trail Walker by just 2 strokes.ddddddddddddI didnt bring my game and I didnt make a putt all day, I felt like, Stenson said. Despite that, I thought I was hanging good. I was trying to push, which I had to. I was two or three behind coming into the last five or six holes. ... Probably the best shot of the day, a three-quarter 9-iron, I just overcooked it and went long and I made double and that was the end of it for me.That occurred at the par-4 15th, where Stenson was still in the mix, a couple of birdies away from making it interesting. But the double-bogey dropped him back and he played the last three holes in even par.Stenson won his first major two weeks ago then barely had time to enjoy it, as he went home to Sweden for a few days but was besieged with media requests.He came to New Jersey feeling that perhaps the momentum would carry over, and it did for a time. All in all, Im pretty pleased to come off the win at The Open and then be right up there contending the week after, he said.Now it is back to his home in Orlando for the first time since the win at Royal Troon for a few days before heading to Rio de Janeiro, where he will play in the Olympic golf tournament and participate in the Opening Ceremonies on Friday. ' ' '