“We'll see what I can do there later” – Jonathan Milan eyes Milano-Sanremo after Tirreno-Adriatico victory

Jonathan Milan has been in unstoppable form at the start of 2025, and his victory on stage 2 of Tirreno-Adriatico only reinforced his status as one of the most exciting sprinters in the peloton. With this latest win under his belt, his focus now shifts to an even bigger challenge, Milano-Sanremo, the first Monument of the season and one of the most unpredictable races on the calendar.

Milano-Sanremo has long been a race where anything can happen, a classic that doesn’t necessarily favour one type of rider. Recent editions have been won by pure sprinters like Jasper Philipsen, explosive finishers like Mathieu van der Poel, attacking specialists like Matej Mohoric, and even the likes of Jasper Stuyven. Even Tadej Pogacar, who has conquered almost every major race, has yet to find a way to win La Primavera.

Could Jonathan Milan be the next rider to add his name to that list? Speaking to In de Leiderstrui, he acknowledged the historical significance of his win in Follonica, a stage that Jasper Philipsen also won last year before going on to triumph in Milano-Sanremo.

"I know, last year the victory in Follonica brought him luck," Milan laughed. "Although it was of course not luck in Sanremo, Jasper really rode a super race then. We'll see what I can do there later."

Milan’s approach to 2025 has been different from previous years. Traditionally a track rider, he has taken a step back from the velodrome, focusing entirely on improving his endurance and climbing ability.

"Like him, I didn't ride on the track last winter. Maybe I'll return after Paris-Roubaix, but in principle, I won't ride track races for the next two years," he said firmly.

Instead, Milan has put in significant work on his climbing, a crucial skill that could help him survive the Poggio and remain in contention for a sprint finish in Sanremo.

"We worked hard this winter to keep the level of the sprints high, but I also trained hard to become a better climber, especially on climbs of four or five kilometers. It would be nice if I suffered a little less uphill, so I train longer and climb a lot more. Mentally, I have also improved a bit."

His ambitions for Milano-Sanremo are clear, and he takes inspiration from Filippo Ganna, who finished second in 2023 after a long-range attack.

"Ganna is a better climber and therefore one of the strongest riders for Milan-Sanremo. But he is an inspiration. I am trying to come out of the Tirreno in my best condition, and we are going with a strong team."

Reflecting on his Tirreno-Adriatico stage win, Milan acknowledged the importance of learning from last year's experience.

"Last year I couldn't win here, but it was also my first time. I now knew how to do the sprint, because I took the experiences of last year with me. My team also rode really well today, I would like to thank them too."

His sprint was executed to perfection, with his teammates playing a fundamental role in delivering him to the perfect position.

"A super nice victory, after an almost perfect day," Milan concluded in his press conference. "The lead-out was really very good, after we had studied the final kilometre well. Of course, I still had to do a good sprint, but it was all about that last corner. I couldn't have done that without my teammates, they believed in me completely. They were fundamental."

The final sprint wasn’t without its challenges, but Milan held his composure, even as doubt briefly crossed his mind.

"When I came out of the bend first, I thought for a moment: this is really far, but it was just a long sprint to the finish for everyone," he laughed. "I always only know that I've won when I've crossed the finish line. I can imagine it was a big chaos, but I didn't notice anything."