Jonathan Milan doubles up at Giro d’Italia

With a stage win and two second-place finishes already to his name in this Giro, Jonathan Milan doubled up on his win tally by claiming Stage 11 of the Giro d’Italia. Serendipitously, the second stage victory coincides with the launch of the brand-new SRAM RED AXS groupset, which Lidl-Trek have been putting to good use throughout this Giro d’Italia.

Although Milan was the first to cross the line, the road to winning the stage started hours before, when Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier got to work at the head of the peloton, riding mile after mile to ensure the stage finished in a sprint.

Jonny benefitted from the full support and confidence of the Lidl-Trek team, who believe the Italian sprinter is the fastest in the race. The Lidl-Trek train brought the Ciclamino giant to the front, and safely out of trouble, as the tension and speed rose into the final part of the stage.

At four kilometers to go, the peloton had to negotiate a tricky right hand bend with road furniture, but it went by without a problem whilst Jonny maintained a good position. As rival trains jostled for position across the road, Milan became detached from his leadout, but he remained calm, hitching himself onto the rear wheel of Tim Merlier. Jonny was able to kick out of the slipstream, come alongside Merlier, and smoothly pass him in time to get his hands in the air for his second win of this Giro.

By winning the stage, Milan extends his lead in the Points Competition to 73 points.

Reaction from the winner

“You know, it’s not just this 20 seconds of the sprint that makes me happy, or the victory in the end. It’s all the work that my guys did for me today, supporting me, bringing me to the crucial position for the sprint, this is what makes me happy, it makes a real time like we are. I think today is just unbelievable what the guys did for me, like always they are believing in me and I have to say thanks from the bottom of my heart for this. I’m just so happy to see this, and their happy faces. After the finish line I looked for them one by one to thank them because they were exceptional.

“It’s always tricky in the final, how to predict it and how to move. In the end I found myself on Merlier’s wheel, I think it was the perfect wheel. He started his sprint really strong but then I made mine and it went good. It was a super-fast sprint, especially because I have the fastest bike, along with the fast, new tires and groupset. It’s really special, last year I was always close but making some mistakes. I think the most important thing to do is learning from these mistakes and going further. We made it with the Team and I’m proud of this.

Race after race, I grew, I improved. I’ve learned to manage my efforts and to better withstand the efforts that the Giro imposes day after day. From last year to this year, then, there was a change of jersey that led me to have more riders to help me in the sprints. Strong, experienced riders, capable, like today, of putting me in the perfect conditions to win.

Today’s victory is a step forward for the ciclamino jersey. I have a good lead at the moment, but I absolutely must not take anything for granted. There are complicated stages coming up, I know I have to be ready where there is a chance to pick up points. And of course, to look for another victory.”