Jonathan Milan is the new sprint superstar

[zekance]

Both Milan and the team set the Ciclamino jersey as a goal for this Giro so there's no reason to go home unless he falls sick.
And if I'm not mistaken he can also become the first rider since Cavendish in 2013 to win 5 stages in a single edition of the Giro.

He could very well do that but IMO Pogačar is more of a safe bet to win 5 stages this year.

 

[RedheadDane]

Because there's only 2 teams in a final.

I thought you meant "The Big Three" on the Italian team.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I thought you meant "The Big Three" on the Italian team.

I guess the big three would be Ganna, Milan and Moro, and the latter could very well lose out to the shorter Consonni or Lamon.

 

[RedheadDane]

I guess the big three would be Ganna, Milan and Moro, and the latter could very well lose out to the shorter Consonni or Lamon.

I was actually thinking Ganna, Milan, and Consonni. With... someone being the fourth guy.

 

[Mayomaniac]

His nickname is "il toro di Buja", the Bull of Buja (same hometown as de Marchi).

 

[tobydawq]

The best sprinters, however, are not in the Giro, let's see how it goes in the Tour, if he's riding.

Sure, Philipsen isn't here but otherwise, it's not like any good sprinters are missing from this field...

 

[Brullnux]

The best sprinters, however, are not in the Giro, let's see how it goes in the Tour, if he's riding.

It's just Philipsen, really, Merlier and Kooij were here. I guess Groenewegen but he hasn't been at the top of his game for a while.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

Sure, Philipsen isn't here but otherwise, it's not like any good sprinters currently exist...

FTFY

 

[Extinction]

From what I've herd, Cipollini never finished the Tour, so I'm not sure he's kind of rider a young aspiring rider should strive to emulate.
(And that's not even touching upon the recent issues involving Cipollini...)

Meanwhile, unless something drastic happens, I'd say the Italian Team Pursuit are probably guaranteed to get at least silver at the Olympics.

Cipollini was the greatest sprinter to have lit up the long, boring flat stages of the Tour and paved the way for Cavendish and others. When the mountains came he got off, but they didn't call him the Lion King for nothing. Becoming the best sprinter in the world at the Tour, far exceeds Olympic pursuit victory. It's a no brainer as they say.

 

[Extinction]

It's just Philipsen, really, Merlier and Kooij were here. I guess Groenewegen but he hasn't been at the top of his game for a while.

Sure, but Philipsen is king at the moment, so Milan has te beat him there in the Tour.

 

[Extinction]

Sure, Philipsen isn't here but otherwise, it's not like any good sprinters are missing from this field...

Right, but Philipsen is the point of reference, so Milan has to beat him at le Tour.

 

[Extinction]

...and he's now won 3 stages! When will the whining about his greed for glory begin?

You must be joking. Sprinters must win sprints, however many they may be. Not being in the GC fight, it's their only means to justifying their salaries and the whole peloton knows it.

 

[tobydawq]

Right, but Philipsen is the point of reference, so Milan has to beat him at le Tour.

Alright, but he isn't going to ride that, and he did beat Philipsen twice at Tirreno-Adriatico.

 

[Brullnux]

Sure, but Philipsen is king at the moment, so Milan has te beat him there in the Tour.

Yeah but you said best sprinters (plural), which isn't really true. The best sprinter is at the Tour, but most of the other quickest sprinters are at the Giro, so Milan has basically established himself as the 2nd best itw (I think Merlier is as fast as Milan, but I also think he is as fast as Philipsen in a flat one day race, e.g.).

 

[Extinction]

Alright, but he isn't going to ride that, and he did beat Philipsen twice at Tirreno-Adriatico.

Yea, but it's the Tour where Milan gains the status of Legend. It's a shame he's not riding it, but having the luxury of potential Olympic gold I guess is sufficient justification. But it's an opportunity Lost.

 

[AmRacer]

Yea, but it's the Tour where Milan gains the status of Legend. It's a shame he's not riding it, but having the luxury of potential Olympic gold I guess is sufficient justification. But it's an opportunity Lost.

Cav doesn't mind Milan isn't riding the Tour. 😀

 

[Brullnux]

I'm a bit biased because I've been bigging up/rating Milan since the european individual pursuit silver he won in 2020, but his transition has really impressed me. I think his inexperience on the road tells at times, but it's improving rapidly – looking at his 2024 sprints vs 2023 is like two totally different people, last year he was coming from 15th wheel to 2nd and now his positioning is perfect.

I don't necessarily think he's as badly suited to Sanremo as others – he is similar to Greipel in some ways and he never did well over the Poggio, but Milan is an individual pursuit silver medallist and team pursuit olympics champion. The Poggio is what, just under six minutes? While he won't he able to keep up with Pogacar or MvdP I personally don't see why he couldn't be in a second group like the one we saw this year. RVV he'll never get more than a top ten/fifteen, GW he can clearly win (3rd in the bunch sprint after folloeing VdP on the Kemmelberg and soloing for 25km), and Roubaix is a ?. He's a sprinter first and foremost, but he likes the classics and is versatile enough to at the minimum be an extremely useful teammate.

 

[Extinction]

I don't think there's an Italian person who has watched this and doesn't remember it

View: https://youtu.be/Y34LS-hgcKU?si=Vc6zArkr7qsELqwX

That was an exception, because so sensational, however, winning at the Tour is more important to sponsors and hence legacy.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

That was an exception, because so sensational, however, winning at the Tour is more important to sponsors and hence legacy.

Winning one Olympic gold medal is definitely worth more than winning one or two Tour stages, so if he manages that or better in the future, it won't mean much that he didn't ride this year.

 

[Extinction]

Sure, but he's only 23, so he has time on his side. Also Trek has Pedersen for the TdF sprints and Geoghegan Hart and Ciccone for GC/stage hunting.

Right, but Milan is better than Pederson for the sprints.

 

[Extinction]

Winning one Olympic gold medal is definitely worth more than winning one or two Tour stages, so if he manages that or better in the future, it won't mean much that he didn't ride this year.

Not in cycling! Don't think of other sports. Until 92 Olympic cyclists were amateurs. And track racing can't be compared to the Tour de France, sorry.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

Not in cycling! Don't think of other sports. Until 92 Olympic cyclists were amateurs. And track racing can't be compared to the Tour de France, sorry.

If he never wins a Tour stage, then I agree, but if he doesn't get near Merckx and Cav's total of stage wins or Sagan's green jersey tally, then the stages he could potentially win this year won't matter much once his career is over, as long he wins some in the future. Also he's been committed to the track for years, so suddenly giving up on that a few months before a major goal would be weird.

And no matter Milan's current level, Pedersen has a higher status within the team and hasn't given them any reason not to trust him to deliver results once again. It will probably be different next year though.

 

[RedheadDane]

Right, but Milan is better than Pederson for the sprints.

Trek doesn't have a rider named "Pederson".
What have I said about Swedifying Danes...?

 

[jmdirt]

Trek doesn't have a rider named "Pederson".
What have I said about Swedifying Danes...?

E...O, they're both vowels.
Stray off topic: I work with a Hansen and a Hanson who are married to sisters (not theirs).

 

[Extinction]

If he never wins a Tour stage, then I agree, but if he doesn't get near Merckx and Cav's total of stage wins or Sagan's green jersey tally, then the stages he could potentially win this year won't matter much once his career is over, as long he wins some in the future. Also he's been committed to the track for years, so suddenly giving up on that a few months before a major goal would be weird.

And no matter Milan's current level, Pedersen has a higher status within the team and hasn't given them any reason not to trust him to deliver results once again. It will probably be different next year though.

This is a level-headed argument and, in principle, I agree. All I'm saying is that Milan's level seems to be such that now is the time to see if he can become one of those generational sprinters of the sport. It's a window that doesn't remain open forever.