“You don’t often have the chance to take the pink jersey” - Jonathan Milan rues “casino” chaos as Maglia Rosa dream is dashed at the Giro d'Italia

Jonathan Milan admitted Lidl-Trek lost control of the Giro d’Italia opener at exactly the wrong moment as the Italian sprint star saw his chance to claim the Maglia Rosa disappear in the chaotic finale into Burgas.

After spending much of Stage 1 among the major favourites for both the stage victory and the first pink jersey of the race, Milan eventually finished fourth behind winner Paul Magnier, Tobias Lund Andresen and Ethan Vernon following a crash-marred sprint that split the peloton inside the final kilometre.

The result was a major disappointment for Lidl-Trek after the team had controlled large portions of the stage throughout the day in support of Milan. “You don’t often have the chance on the first stage to take the pink jersey,” Milan told RAI afterwards. “And when the jersey has your home region’s name on it, well, it’s no small thing for me or for the team.”

The special edition Maglia Rosa for this year’s Giro references Friuli Venezia Giulia, Milan’s home region in northeastern Italy, adding extra emotional significance to the opportunity.

Despite Lidl-Trek’s strong control of the race earlier in the stage, Milan explained that the team became separated during the increasingly chaotic final kilometres into Burgas. “We lost one another with 5km or so to go, I don’t even know how,” Milan told reporters afterwards. “It was a big casino.”

The finale rapidly escalated in intensity as the sprint trains fought aggressively for position before a heavy crash exploded inside the final kilometre and blocked much of the peloton behind.

Milan found himself far further back than planned entering the decisive moments of the sprint and was forced into a huge effort simply to get back into contention. “I found myself a long way back and I had to ride alone up the outside on the right for a kilometre and a half,” Milan explained. “And I spent a lot of energy there.”

Although Milan managed to recover several positions before the line, the Italian admitted the effort required to regain contact ultimately left him with too little left for the final sprint itself. “I got back on the wheel of someone, I don’t even know who, but that rider didn’t launch their sprint,” Milan said. “By the time I made my move, it was too late. But above all, my legs were shot from the effort I’d put in earlier.”

Milan still made a point of congratulating both Magnier and Soudal - Quick-Step after the Frenchman emerged from the chaos to secure both the stage victory and the Maglia Rosa. “The Soudal - Quick-Step boys did great work, so congratulations to Magnier on his win,” Milan said.

Lidl-Trek manager Luca Guercilena also pointed toward the increasingly difficult positioning battle during the final kilometres as the stage spiralled toward chaos. “There was quite a controlled speed in the early part of the stage,” Guercilena explained on RAI’s Processo alla Tappa. “But then it was difficult in the final kilometres, just when the roads were getting narrower. It’s very hard to get everything in order.”

Milan ultimately recovered to fourth at the line, but after Lidl-Trek controlled large portions of the stage, the chaotic finale left the Italian leaving Burgas with frustration rather than the Maglia Rosa he had targeted all day.