Confirming his status as the man to beat, Jonathan Milan powered through a chaotic finish to secure a brilliant win on the Dubai stage.
Today’s fifth stage was a masterclass in team tactics as the peloton wound its way through the urban streets of Dubai before heading out for a lap of the Al Qudra Cycle Track. Lidl-Trek took full responsibility at the front of the pack, riding to ensure the day’s breakaway never gained enough ground to threaten the finish. By keeping the escapees on a tight leash, rarely letting the gap stretch beyond a manageable two minutes, they set the stage for a grand finale.
As the race hit the closing kilometres and the finish line at Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University loomed, the plan came together perfectly. Max Walscheid utilised his massive frame and immense power to provide a textbook leadout, winding up the pace and delivering Jonny into the final 200 meters with perfect timing. From there, Milan’s explosive acceleration did the rest, as he surged past his rivals to secure an emphatic victory.
This latest triumph completes a spectacular back-to-back double for Milan, who also dominated the sprint to take the win on Stage 4 just 24 hours earlier. With these consecutive wins, he now takes over as leader of the points classification with two days left of racing.
(Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
What Jonny had to say..
Last year I finished second on this stage so I knew how important it was to take these last corners in the first few positions. It was really well controlled by my teammates all day, even at the end when it got a bit chaotic. We still managed to stay together and they were able to position me so I could find a good line to sprint.
After a big effort from the guys all day, you have to find a way to bring home a result. I can't just sit there and watch the other sprinters go so I want to deliver the best result I can for them. I'm really happy with this victory and I have another opportunity on the final stage so I will for sure go all in again on Sunday.
