Peter Sagan (Total Energy) will miss Sunday's Tour de Flanders and undergo a series of tests to find out why he has struggled in the spring classic race.

Sagan will take part next week in the four-day Circuit Cycliste Sarthe-Pays de la Loire (April 5-8) in central France.

Sagan has already returned to his home in Monaco to undergo blood tests and a medical examination. These tests will reveal whether Sagan's problems are due to a lack of pre-season training, a specific illness, or the effects of his second COVID-19.

Sagan contracted COVID-19 for the second time in January and missed an important block of preseason training. However, he seems to be getting better in recent weeks and abandoned the Tirreno-Adriatico due to stomach problems the day after finishing fourth in the sprint in Sovicile. He finished fifth in Milan-Torino, but a mechanical problem in Milan-San Remo derailed his chances.

He only finished 68th in the E3 Saxo Bank Classic and failed to finish in Ghent-Wevelgem. He had hoped to do well in both races. However, even though he was not ill, he lacked power and energy at crucial moments in the race.

According to L'Equipe, which first reported Sagan's absence from the Tour de Flandre, he was replaced by a loyal teammate of team leader Anthony Turgis, who finished second in Milan-San Remo and 13th in the E3 Saxo Bank Classic on Friday Jeffrey Soup will be used.

Speaking to Het Laatste Nieuws (opens in new tab) last week, Sagan admitted that the pressure to win is greater than when he started his career at Liquigas in 2010, but insisted that he is not under any outside pressure He said.

"The pressure is great. There is a need to win," he said.

"Nobody can put pressure on me. Others can only tell me the facts or say what they think or want. I have had enough of pressure.