“I personally asked to be in his lead-out" – Edward Theuns reveals what it’s like to support Jonathan Milan
Cycling
At the first rest day of the 2025
Tour de France, things are falling into place for Jonathan Milan. The Italian
sprinter, riding his debut Tour for Lidl-Trek, has already bagged a stage win
and sits atop the points classification.
Milan became the first Italian
rider in six years to win a Tour stage, putting an end to a long drought. While
he’s been edged out by Tim Merlier in two other sprint finishes, Milan remains
the most consistent contender for the green jersey.
His teammate Edward Theuns has
had a front-row seat to Milan’s rise and was quick to express both joy and
fatigue after the win.
"You spend a lot of time
with those guys. And I've been struggling quite a bit these past few days, so I
was very happy. I was so happy for him that fatigue played a part," Theuns
told Sporza.
That bond between them started
early, "When he (Milan) joined the team, I personally asked to be in his
lead-out. That was the start of a great relationship. Last year, we also rode a
lot together and had successes. When you spend a lot of time together during
training camps and races, you develop a bond."
Milan’s raw power is a known
factor within Lidl-Trek. Theuns noted that supporting a rider of Milan’s
strength means constant adjustment.
"Milan has a lot of
strength, so there's a lot of work to be done. He produces a lot of power, so
you have to go for maintenance every now and then," he said.
The win was more than a morale
boost, it was a necessary correction after early frustrations.
"It was a relief for us. We
had high hopes for the first stage, but that fizzled out. And he lost the
second sprint by a very narrow margin, so there was some disappointment. Now
there was relief for the whole team because we've pulled this off."
While Milan leads the points
competition, Theuns has had his own challenges. Ongoing saddle issues have made
the opening week a grind.
"I've had problems with my
seat now and then, but rarely as bad as now. So I've suffered a lot, but I feel
like things are improving. I'm a bit more positive again," he said.
He also addressed a penalty he
received earlier in the race and reflected on the chaotic nature of bunch
sprints.
"I'll keep working on the
yellow card. I was disappointed with myself that it played a role. I think
sprinting is partly about positioning anyway, and you shouldn't fight, but
using your elbows and shoulders is part of it, like for most sprinters."
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
claps 0visitors 0
Just in
Popular news
Latest comments
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
Loading
Write a comment