When called up to the stage in Antwerp's Grote Markt at the start of the 2017 Tour of Flanders on Sunday morning, Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe) was asked 'yes or no' whether he would finish on the podium, to which he answered, 'I don't know; it's up to destiny'.
Six or so hours later, after crossing the line dusty, bruised, and three-and-a-half minutes down on solo winner Philippe Gilbert, he concluded that destiny can't, after all, have wanted him to claim back-to-back editions of De Ronde.
Sagan, with Greg Van Avermaet and Oliver Naesen in tow, was in hot pursuit of a rampant Gilbert when he dramatically hit the deck by the barriers on the Oude Kwaremont, taking down his companions in the process.
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At that point, with some 16 kilometres remaining, the gap was 55 seconds and, with 13 kilometres of flat succeeding the final climb of the Paterberg, one of the most breathtaking editions of De Ronde in recent memory was truly hanging in the balance. It's one of the cruelties and beauties of the Classics that we'll never know what might have been.
Sagan, though, speaking to press between visits to the anti-doping and medical tents, had a good idea.
"I think so," he replied when asked if the trio would have caught Gilbert. "Given how I was riding and I had strong companions, so yes, I think I could have got back up to him, but destiny didn't want it."
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