Peter Sagan will return to the classics in 2021, competing in both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France.

Sagan's 2021 schedule is very similar to his 2020 campaign before the coronavirus pandemic threw everything off track. Sagan kept his promise to run the Giro and will miss the spring classic, which was rescheduled for the fall.

In an interview with the Slovak newspaper Pravda (opens in new tab), Jan Valach, director of Bora Hansgrohe, outlined the three-time world champion's plans for 2021.

"Starting with the spring classics, then the Giro, Tour, and Olympics ...... These are the highlights," he said.

This year's major events will take place as planned, but Sagan has already had to change his plans after coronavirus restrictions prevented foreign teams from participating in Argentina's Vuelta a San Juan.

It is unclear where Sagan, unfamiliar with early-season European stage races, will compete for the first time. He has not competed in the "opening weekend" of the Classics in Belgium since 2017, before competing in Tirreno-Adriatico in preparation for the main Classics period, which begins with Milan-San Remo on March 20 and continues with the cobbled Classics until Paris-Roubaix on April 11 He may compete in the Strade Bianche in early March.

Whatever he chooses, he will have to plan his preparation carefully, given that the Giro starts on May 8. There are less than four weeks between the Giro and the Tour, and the Olympic road race on the hilly course in Tokyo is less than a week after the final Tour stage in Paris.

"Peter is the type of rider who can withstand more load, take advantage of it, and get better and better without getting tired," said Valach, who also insisted that he is not worried about the quarantine rumored to be necessary for riders arriving in Tokyo.

If Sagan has any strength left in him, he will be aiming for his fourth rainbow jersey at the World Championships in Flanders on September 26. The route should suit the cobbled specialist, and although he missed this race last year, it is sure to be central to Sagan's ambitions for the next few years.

"I think there is space, especially for the Classics. We've talked about it a few times. He is the ideal age," Valach told Pravda.

"Peter still has the potential to perform at a high level and, given the experience he needs, he could be successful in his 40s. This will be his main platform for next season. We are working on the future and I am very excited about it."

Sagan had a long, barren 2020, missing out on the points jersey at both the Tour and the Giro.

"Of course, it will be important how he maintains his mental energy or if he can enjoy it anyway," Valach added. He is a fighter, especially in the classic stages, but also in the sprint stages."

Sagan is currently training with his Bora-Hanglohe teammates on Lake Garda and will then take part in a small training camp in the Canary Islands.