"I want to avoid finishing second four times" - Jonathan Milan hopes to win more stages at this year's Giro d'Italia

At a pre-Giro d'Italia press conference, Lidl-Trek sprinter Jonathan Milan, stage and Maglia Ciclaminio winner last year, spoke about his status and his ambitions, as well as his main opponents and strong sprint train.

"What I did last year fills me with motivation and pride. I want to fight for the Ciclamino jersey and repeat the highlights from 2023, perhaps achieving more and avoiding finishing second four times."

The level is really high, Milan recognizes. "There is Kooij, Merlier and Ewan, to name a few, we will have to fight. For the moment, I consider myself among the 10 best sprinters in the world, but there is still room for improvement."

The 23-year-old Italian will have a very high-level squad at his disposal: Simone Consonni, Edward Theuns, Jasper Stuyven and the young Daan Hoole. "Yes, it is undoubtedly the strongest train of this Giro," recognized Milan.

"I really liked how I did on cobbles, we had prepared the whole classics campaign well and in the end I also managed to bring good results. This is the confirmation of a new step forward in recent months. After the fall at Paris-Roubaix, it was important to recover, not so much from a physical point of view as from a mental point of view. The sensations, at the moment, I would say, are very good."