“This has been one of my dreams since I started riding a bike”: Jonathan Milan captures Italian national title after dominant Lidl-Trek display

Jonathan Milan claimed the 2026 Italian National Championships road race with an impressive sprint victory in Cuneo after Lidl-Trek controlled the race from start to finish. The Italian champion rewarded his teammates' relentless work by delivering a perfectly timed sprint, securing another victory just weeks after his Giro d'Italia stage win in Rome.

Milan entered the race as the overwhelming favourite and lived up to expectations after Lidl-Trek spent the entire day chasing the breakaway and setting up a bunch sprint. In a post-race interview, the 25-year-old said the race had been far from straightforward despite the eventual outcome.

“I didn't even have the energy left to celebrate after such a demanding day. We expected this scenario, we stayed focused throughout the race and controlled it from the beginning. I don't know how much people saw of the opening kilometres, but bringing back that breakaway was really difficult.”

He praised the efforts of every teammate who worked to create the opportunity. “My teammates gave absolutely everything to bring me to the sprint today. They did an incredible job. I only had to sprint at the end, but they spent 220 kilometres pulling. The way they supported me today was simply unbelievable.”

Milan revealed there were moments during the race when he doubted whether he would even survive the climbs. “I think at one point they believed in me more than I believed in myself because on the first climbs I was really at my limit. I didn't know if I would make it or how the race would unfold. In the end I managed to hang on, and even then it was far from certain that it would finish in a sprint.”

The victory, he added, represents the fulfilment of a childhood ambition. “I dedicate this victory first of all to all my teammates. I may be the one wearing the Italian champion's jersey this year, but it's as if all of them will be wearing it with me over the next twelve months.”

“I'm still struggling to realise it, but this has been one of my dreams since I started riding a bike, ever since I first watched cycling on television. It's a dream come true.”

Milan also engaged in domestique duties during the race, as a way to something back to his teammates. “It seemed like the normal thing to do. The guys were busy controlling the race, so the least I could do was bring them some bottles and ice.”

“It was a very difficult race, especially because of the early breakaway. The team controlled the race for so many kilometres and did an almost flawless job. Without them I would never have achieved this result.”

Milan also dedicated his victory to Lidl-Trek general manager Luca Guercilena, who is set to leave the team after this year's Tour de France following a 16-year tenure. “We've shared some very important years together and experienced a journey that I'll never forget.”

The Italian also reflected on a Giro d'Italia that did not entirely meet expectations, although he believes his victory in Rome and now the national title demonstrate the team's resilience.

“It's clear that things didn't go exactly as we had imagined. But we never stopped believing. We always gave everything we had, and Rome proved the work we had done. Mistakes are part of the journey; the important thing is to learn from them and keep improving.”