“I’m the first one surprised”: Jonathan Milan shatters pursuit world record to claim second track world title

Jonathan Milan had already made history before the final of the men’s individual pursuit at the 2026 UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai. The Italian set a new world record in qualifying, then confirmed his superiority by winning a second rainbow jersey in the discipline, two years after his first title in Denmark.

Milan clocked 3:58.850 over 4,000 meters, becoming the first rider to break the 3:59 barrier. He improved his previous world record of 3:59.153, set when he won the 2024 world title in Ballerup. In the final, he defeated Denmark’s Frederik Madsen in 4:00.769 to 4:06.038. Ganna won the bronze-medal ride against Denmark’s Rasmus Pedersen.

The performance was the culmination of a season in which Milan had returned his attention to the track. The Lidl-Trek sprinter, who has established himself among the leading fast finishers on the road, said he had been eager to compete in the velodrome again and hoped to improve on his previous record. Breaking the four-minute barrier by such a margin, however, exceeded his expectations.

“I’m the first one surprised,” Milan said, reflecting on the record. He described the ride as “a perfect day.”

Milan explained that the pace information provided by Italian national coach Dino Salvoldi helped him recognize the quality of his performance. “I was pushing a 69x15 gear, which I also used in the final. I saw that coach Salvoldi was showing me a pace of 14.5 seconds per lap on his tablet at every split, and then I realized I was going fast. But it was only when I crossed the finish line and looked up at the scoreboard that I really understood.”

The result was particularly striking because Milan did not consider the Shanghai velodrome especially fast. However, his qualifying ride averaged approximately 60.3 kilometers per hour.

The individual pursuit has a long history at the World Championships, with past winners including Fausto Coppi, Francesco Moser and Bradley Wiggins, but Milan does not want to compare with them.

“I don’t think the comparison between me and them is appropriate. That said, I’m proud of it. But I also want to mention Filippo Ganna, because I started racing on the track inspired by him, as well as Elia Viviani and Davide Plebani.”

The embrace between Milan and Ganna after the final reflected a relationship built through years of competing together for Italy. Ganna, one of the most decorated riders in the individual pursuit, finished third in Shanghai.

“Beautiful. I rushed over to him: we’ve spent years sharing friendship, suffering and joy,” Milan said. “I’m happy that next season we’ll race together at Lidl-Trek, so we can open a new chapter in our careers. I hope we’ll share many races, starting with the major Classics.”

Milan also credited the rivalry and mutual encouragement between the two Italians with helping them improve. “Even now, with Ganna, we push each other. It helps both of us improve and overcome our limits.”

Milan’s individual victory came after Italy lost the men’s team pursuit final to Denmark earlier in the championships. The Danes claimed their fourth consecutive world title in the event, while Italy took silver.

The result raised questions about Italy’s prospects in the event as qualification for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles begins. Milan acknowledged Denmark’s strength but rejected the idea that the result should discourage the Italian squad.

“They’re incredibly strong, we know that, and they showed it in the individual competition too. But we mustn’t get demoralized. We need to do the opposite: believe in ourselves. The challenge is on. Actually, the challenge continues. We’ve been competing against each other for years.”