Jonathan Milan makes his Tour de France debut today and has
a real opportunity to make an immediate impact. Stage 1 finishes in Lille,
offering a sprint finish where Milan could potentially win and pull on the
yellow jersey, an outcome he’s thought about more than once.
"I am focusing on the first day first and
foremost," Milan told Wielerflits. “I could win that stage and then
also take the yellow jersey, that would really be a very big dream. Not only
for myself, but for the entire team. We have reconnoitered the last few
kilometres and have given everything to be ready."
His leadout setup at Lidl-Trek has become a key part of his
success, and the team has been built around him this year with no Mads Pedersen
in the mix. Pedersen was supposed to target the green jersey during last year's race, but crashed out early on. The Danish rider was the star of the show during the Giro d'Italia in May, winning four stages and the points classification, but still Lidl-Trek have built their sprint train around Milan for the Tour de France.
“I understand your question about the minimal effect of the
slipstream. But Consonni forces me to bring my head down deeper, which
ultimately makes me more aerodynamic and therefore faster. That makes my sprint
better. Although I sometimes also choose Eddy's. That is the big advantage at
Lidl-Trek: we are able to change positions and that helps enormously.”
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While all eyes are on Lille, Milan is also keeping the
broader race in mind, including the potential for a green jersey challenge and
the newly altered final stage in Paris, which includes the Montmarte climb that
we saw in the Olympic Games last year.
“Hopefully the first and the last in Paris,” he laughs. “Of
course that will be incredibly difficult to realise. I have never done that
climb, but I did speak to many riders who did Montmartre during the Olympic
Games. It will be difficult to control, there will be attacks. But we are
absolutely going to try.”
Green remains a target, if the stage wins come first.
"Of course, the green is also a goal for me now. But
first I focus on stage wins. If I succeed, the green will automatically come
with it. Do guys like Mathieu van der Poel have more chances? Good question. On
paper I think that we as sprinters have a bit more possibilities, but the race
will tell. In any case, I will be happy if I can say in Paris that I enjoyed
myself."
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.
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