The Giro d’Italia is upon us. There is only a week left until the Corsa Rosa starts from Venaria Reale and we are slowly getting to know the possible protagonists of this new edition which will crown Primoz Roglic’s successor in the roll of honour. But there is not only the fight for the general classification, there are many points of interest in a three-week race. Like the great battle to establish himself as the best sprinter of the lot. Which was rewarded last year Jonathan Milan.
In 2023, the Giro d’Italia was in fact the stage in which the twenty-two year old from Tolmezzo took off the label of a reliable racer exclusively on the track. And what reliability, transto numerous world and European medals in the pursuit and belonging to that quartet that three years ago in Tokyo won a gold that makes the eyes of anyone who remembers that thrilling moment shine. But the second stage of the last Giro, the one in San Salvo, also revealed all his power to us, sprinting alone and giving two, three bikes’ advantage to David Dekker and Kaden Groves.
That was the only victory in last year’s Giro, followed by others four second places in which he showed a little bit of inexperience, especially at the right moment to start and unleash his horses. But in that 2023 in the Bahrain-Victorious jersey he was the most consistent sprinter of the whole lot, deservedly winning the cyclamen jersey ahead of Derek Geewho rose to prominence not for his sprinting abilities but for his insistence on looking for (and not finding) the right escape.
For this year, Lidl-Trek, his new team, has decided to focus mainly on him to achieve some stage successes, assisted by his track partner Simone Consonni and Andrea Bagioli. The competition will be very respectable: Olav Kooij will be the tip of Visma | Lease a Bike, while Fabio Jakobsen (dsm-firmenich PostNL) is looking for a success in the grand tours that has been missing for two years. Plus there’s a Tim Merlier (Soudal-Quick Step) always capable of making room in sprints, while Alberto Dainese (Tudor Pro Cycling) wants to take back the scepter of the best Italian sprinter. But a year has passed and the defects have been ironed out: all things being equal, no one has the power of Jonathan Milan on the final straights. Putting the cyclamen shirt in our sights.
