Italy goes all-out for its star sprinter Jonathan Milan: "Everyone else will be there to work for Jonathan, he doesn't have to worry about anything"

The men's elite road race at the European Championships this Sunday promises yet another epic brawl between the best sprinters on the old continent. Dubbed by many as the very best is the Italian Jonathan Milan - winner of 11 races this year and the points classification at the Giro d'Italia. Against Belgians Tim Merlier and Jasper Philipsen, Dane Mads Pedersen and Dutch Olav Kooij, he'll get the ultimate opportunity to prove that he's a cut above the rest.

The selection of Italy is built around the 23-year-old sprinter: "Jonathan doesn't have to worry about anything and just think about the finish," the Italian national coach Daniele Bennati was quite straightforward about their tactics.

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Riding in support of Milan will be the new European Time Trial champion Edoardo Affini, Davide Ballerini, Mattia Cattaneo, Simone Consonni, Mirco Maestri, Jacopo Mosca and former European road champion Matteo Trentin.

The coach believes that this lineup has more than enough depth to ensure that the race will really go down in a sprint, as predicted. "We've got the riders who perhaps can't respond to powerful attacks from van der Poel but who can, on paper, chase down the attacks."

The exact roles are yet to be distributed before and some even during the race, based on the situation, however it's clear that some riders will get to work their share sooner than other. "We'll decide our final tactics just before the race and it'll be up to Consonni to lead out and manage the sprint lead out. Mosca will be there to do some early control work but everyone else will be there to work for Milan in the sprint."

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