Cycling-Triple world champion Peter Sagan

Born: Jan. 26, 1990 in Zilina, Slovakia

Team: Bora-Hasgrohe

Turned professional: 2009

World champion titles: 3

Tour de France stages: 8

Tour de France green jerseys: 5

Monument classic wins: 1

EARLY YEARS

After failing to secure a contract with Quick Step, Sagan, who started with mountain biking, decided to quit road cycling but eventually signed a two-year deal with Italian outfit Liquigas.

He claimed his first and second professional victories in the 2010 Paris-Nice, triggering comparisons with the great Eddy Merckx.

"I don't want to be the second Eddy Merckx, I want to be the first Peter Sagan," he said.

2011

Made his grand tour debut at the Vuelta, winning three stages.

2012

Developed a reputation as an also-ran as, despite his talent, he failed to win a major classic, finishing fourth in Milan-San Remo, second on Ghent-Wevelgem, fifth in the Tour of Flanders and third in the Amstel Gold Race.

But he made an impact on the Tour de France, securing the green jersey for the points classification and taking three stage wins in the process.

2013

Failed again to win Milan-San Remo, one of his main goals of the season, as he finished second to Gerald Ciolek. He then took second place in the Tour of Flanders.

He caused a controversy for pinching the bottom of a race hostess at the podium ceremony -- he apologised the following day.

Sagan won one stage in the Tour de France and bagged his second green jersey.

2014

After a disappointing classics campaign, won the green jersey on the Tour de France despite failing to win a stage this time.

2015

Won the Tour of California stage race.

Claimed another green jersey on the Tour de France, also taking five second-place finishes.

Went on to win one stage in the Vuelta before retiring after crashing into a race organisers' motorbike.

Won his first road race world champion title in Richmond, Virginia, after a bold attack on a short, cobbled climb some two kilometres from the finish.

2016

Won his first Monumen classic race at the Tour of Flanders.

Took the second stage of the Tour de France and wore the overall race leader's yellow jersey. Grabbed two more stage wins to secure his fifth consecutive green jersey.

Bagged his second road race world title in Doha, outsprinting Mark Cavendish and Tom Boonen.

2017

Finished second in Milan-San Remo.

Won the third stage of the Tour de France.

Kicked out of the Tour de France after the fourth stage for sending Cavendish crashing in the final sprint.

Claimed his 100th professional victory at the GP de Quebec.

Became the first rider to win three road race world champion titles in a row when he outsprinted Alexander Kristoff and Michael Matthews in Bergen, Norway. (Compiled by Julien Pretot; Editing by Clare Fallon)