"I'm glad he didn't beat me today, but maybe he will someday" - Jonathan Milan wins at UAE and is joined by his brother Matteo on the podium
Cycling
Stage 4 of the UAE Tour delivered another bunch sprint, albeit one that was harder to reach due to the breakaway that held its own throughout the stage and threatened to take the stage win. Everyone at Lidl-Trek had to work to get the win, including its GC rider Derek Gee; but Jonathan Milan delivered on the German team's hard work.
But this was, for the Italian, definitely not a certainty. "To be honest yes. We knew this breakaway was very strong. They always had two or three minutes. But my guys were really strong. They kept it under control. I have to thank them, as always," Milan said in a post-race interview.
Milan lost his opportunity on stage 1, crashing right before the final climb into Liwa Palace. Stage 2 was a time trial and this Wednesday saw the race's queen stage; so Milan arrived to the fourth day of racing empty handed. Whilst opportunities come aplenty in the UAE, he had pressure on his shoulders as a team leader, and a rider who brings with him a strong leadout.
But the commitment from his domestiques was worth it in the end. "We only caught the leaders in the last kilometer. After that, I relaxed a bit, but you're never really relaxed in a sprint. The last kilometer is always stressful; it's like a washing machine. But I had my teammates with me. They kept me at the front and pushed me off well. All I had to do was sprint. I'm very happy with my performance".
Family at the front in the UAE
Milan beat Ethan Vernon to the line in a sprint where he showed his best; whilst in third place came Matteo Milan - 'Johnny's' younger brother who is in his neo-pro season with Groupama - FDJ.
"I knew he could do really well. Just after the finish, he told me he'd come third. I was even happier then than I already was," the 25-year old admitted. "I'm glad he didn't beat me today, but maybe he will someday. I'm happy with my victory and his first third-place finish in a WorldTour race. That means a lot to him and his team."
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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