Belgium hopes that Tim Merlier, Jasper Philipsen, Jordi Meeus or even Wout van Aert is showing up in Lille on Saturday in Lille with the yellow, but then it will have to go to Jonathan Milan from Lidl-Trek. The large, strong Italian is one of the largest contenders on the Maillot Jaune on the opening day of the Tour de France.
You could describe the 24-year-old Italian as GVR: Great friendly giant. As impressive as his appearance is on and next to the bike, it is so loosely next to it. This is also the case at the press moment that Lidl-Trek organized on Wednesday morning in the run-up to the Grand Départ.
With a constant smile, Milan spoke to the journalists. Whether he already knew what Dutch words knew through lead-outs Jasper Stuyven and Edward Theuns? “One, but I’m not going to tell them here,” he laughed away. The comparison with competitors Merlier and Jasper Philipsen? “I’m bigger,” it sounded dry.
He is no longer as big as he was at the start of Dauphiné. ‘I have lost some kilos on altitude and in the Dauphiné, but it makes no super big difference. We work a lot to look good on the climbs, “said Milan, who was pretty seventh at the Italian championship on Sunday.
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Milan with confidence to the first tour ride
Milan knows what can be won in the Metropolis Lille on Saturday. ‘I am a favorite, but that also applies to Tim Merlier, Jasper Philipsen, Dylan Groenewegen and a number of others. The yellow is a big dream, it is right for me to the pink sweater. We know what’s at stake. ”
“We have one of the best teams when it comes to the lead-out,” the Italian refers to his regular train, which next to Theuns and Stuyven consists of friend Simone Consonni. “That brings less pressure, because they can guide me perfectly towards the last kilometer.” With a final straight line of one and a half kilometers, it is already made for Milan.
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Milan calls green sweater objective
Those who think of sprinting also immediately think of a secondary classification in the Tour. ‘The green sweater is going to be difficult, but it is always. It is one of my big goals for this tour, although I think you will participate if you win and take good results. At the moment I mainly focus on the first sprint stages and we will see it automatically. I see five or six direct opportunities. ”
Milan does not mention the final stage about the Champs-Elysées explicitly, knowing that the climb of Montmartre is now in it. “The last ride is now a bit of a question mark. As a sprinter, of course, I would have preferred the old ride, but now it might be a bit more open. Although of course it is still far away, first on Saturday sprint. ”
