Freddie Rodriguez (Jelly Belly) shows off his new road national champ kit. Photo: Cycling News
Four-time and current US professional road race champion Freddie Rodriguez got a bit of a shock yesterday as he rolled from the stage 2 finish at the USA Pro Challenge toward his Jelly Belly team bus.
On the way to the parking lot he passed by the podium ceremony for the stage and heard the announcers call out the name of Cannondale’s 23-year-old super star, Peter Sagan.
“Did Sagan get third,” he asked a reporter. “Wow!”
Sagan is not unlike a younger Rodriguez, who was known either as sprinter who could climb or as a climber who could sprint. The 39-year-old former WorldTour rider said he sees potential for Sagan to be a GC threat in more races if he could cut a little weight.
“He sprints well because he’s a little bit bigger right now,” Rodriguez said.
“I mean if you look at him, he’s chunky, but I bet if he got really lean and lost a little bit of muscle he’d be a GC contender.
“What was it, two years ago that he got top 10 at the Tour of California? So he’s a versatile rider. I bet if he lost some weight he’d be a GC contender. That’s my feel. He’s that good of a rider.” – Cycling News
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