«We have made many developments with Santini regarding racing leotards – says Milan – and the shoe covers that I always use. Last year it arrived the new bike, so the level of aerodynamics has been increased a lot. Then you realize that you do all the studies and you end up with a guy who is 94 meters tall on the bicycle, and no matter how much he tries to stay as low as possible, well…».
The atmosphere is relaxed, people laugh and finally speak Italian after other interviews in English. The media day of the Lid-Trek is coming to an end, but Talking to Milan about his progress and commitments is a very interesting journeyIt's the first eve of a season without track races: this means more time available for work on the road. The team announced it in the group of Tour de France, where will he go without his guardian angel Pedersen?The reasoning continues in a mix of technique and personal ambitions.
There's been a lot of talk about you moving around too much in the sprints...
We always aim to improve to become number one and the team has this in mind too. in training we are also focusing a lot on way to sprint, without all those head movementsTrying to be as aerodynamic as possible, perhaps moving my head and body a little further forward. These are all movements that, when combined, will ultimately pay off. We are also working hard on strength, explosiveness and everything that makes up the sprint.And also for the climbs…
To defend against attacks?
Need hold on even on the climbs to reach the sprintWe're working across the board to improve globally and then strive to be the best. And we're also working on relationships. We're still using the 54, but we're introducing the 56.
You seem nice and relaxed, what kind of winter has it been so far?
I'm fine, it's been a good winter starting in December, with a good training camp. I had a lovely Christmas holiday at home with my family., which is a good thing before starting such a long season. And now we're back here preparing for the debut, which is almost upon us. The feelings are good, let's say I'm excited. Honestly I want to run, I miss the competition and the Tour will be a new challenge, a new way of putting yourself on the line and trying.
What fascination does the Tour de France have for you? For some, it's the center of the world, and for others, just another race?
For me, all races are definitely important. Obviously the Tour has its charm, but for me it is on the same level as the othersIt's as important to start a Valenciana well as to arrive in the best possible shape for the Tour de France. Of course it's a race I've never run before, in a period in which I've never raced, so the question mark is there.For me, almost everything will be new. I will put maximum effort into preparing, as I do for all the other races.
Are you going to France with a specific goal?
Surely from day one we will have some favorable stages, with the yellow jersey immediately up for grabs, so it will be very important to be ready and united also at a team level. I'll take it like all the other races, however concentration will be high and also the desire to do well.
The Tour is far away, there are lots of sprints and classics before, right?
I will start at Valencian vault, then I will be at the UAE Tour, Kuurne, Tyrrhenian, Milan-Sanremo, De Panne, Ghent-Wevelgem, Waregem and RoubaixThen I'll have a recovery period and go to the high altitudes of Sierra Nevada. They say it's not good for sprinters, but I've been there several times and I've always had a good time.We will stay there for about twenty days, then there will be Dauphiné and Tour, with the Italian championship in betweenWe should race in Gorizia, it wouldn't be bad to go to France wearing that jersey.
Which of the spring classics do you think is most within your reach?
Wanting to keep my feet on the ground, I think Ghent: for now it's the one that suits me bestThen maybe I'd include the Milan-Sanremo. And here too, there's a question mark about how it will go in the finale. You know, you also need a bit of luck...
Ganna is also skipping the Flanders tournament. Is there a specific reason for your choice?
I did it in previous years and it was nice for me, because I was able to help the team and I enjoyed being there. It wouldn't be bad to do it again, also because in the future it remains a race that I would like to winBut I also know that it's not a good idea to start competing in too many classics; you risk doing them all and not bringing any home. It's better to select them, having a very clear objective in front of you..
Still on the classics side, the 2024 Sanremo didn't go as you'd hoped. Now everyone's thinking of a Pogacar show, do you agree?
Last year the indication was to arrive under the Poggio and for me the fact of having passed the Cipressa and having returned to lend a hand before the Poggio was a small step forwardThis year I will still do what they tell me, but my goal is to try to save energy to arrive as fresh as possible under the Poggio to try to hold off a possible attack by Pogacar and other rivals. It's a huge question mark, because he's the big man to beat. But there's also Goofy (Ganna, ed.) He's banking on us and we've seen that in previous years he's always been there and for me he'll be there again this year.
Pedersen will be at Sanremo, but he won't be with you at the Tour: would you have liked to have him by your side?
The team made the decision to split us up and maybe It wouldn't have been nice for Mads to have to go to the Tour to help meI think he's so strong that he wants to have his own moments to prepare for the races he's aiming for. If they'd brought him to the Tour for me, I'd have been delighted, but looking at it from another perspective, I don't know if it would have been the best for him.
Road, track, World Championships, and Olympics: have we seen your full potential?
Oh God, I sincerely hope not. You're always trying to improve, so even though I won't be racing on the track, I plan to do some training camps because anyway. for a rider like me it is useful to cultivate that type of work, for power and pedaling frequency. But after a few years of double commitment, for the next two seasons I will focus more on the road and I will try to make another leap in quality as regards the classics and the Tour de France.
Was it important to end 2024 with the pursuit world record and the rainbow jersey?
A lot, because it was a goal I had for a long time. I've always dreamed of win a rainbow jersey, even though I had a difficult time before the World CupI came out of the European Championships in very good shape, but I got sick and had to sit out for two weeks. I only got back to training well a week before the World Championships, so For me it was a challenge in every sense and it was important to end the season like thisThe world record was the icing on the cake.
