The second season of Nicolas Milesi with the I have to team up Arkea B&B Hotels' season ended slightly earlier than expected (opening photo by Alexis Dancerelle/DirectVelo). In fact, the Bergamo native never returned to racing after the European time trial championship.The calendar essentially included two other races in which the French team preferred to give space to the local athletes. Having not raced since the beginning of September, when at the Giro del Friuli they achieved their first victory among the under-23s, Nicolas Milesi has decided to indulge his desire to ride with a 300-kilometer long ride on his home roads.. At his side was Alessandro Romele, who followed him by car as he is recovering from a hand injury.
“I wanted to ride,” Nicolas Milesi tells us while he’s at home taking his end-of-season break, “to have fun and spend time with Romele. In the end I was fine, in the last road races I did I was going strongI'm happy with how I've grown further, in the summer I made a big step forward between the races in France and the Tour of Friuli».
The hours are numbered
The Arkea team closed at the end of the season, and next year the French team will no longer be part of the group. A situation that has been known for a few months and for which the riders have been given the green light to seek new accommodations and agreementsRunning on a tight schedule isn't easy. Every race counts, and you risk not reaping what you've sown.
«If I had had a year like that in another I have to team up – Nicolas Milesi continues to analyze – I probably wouldn't have had any problems moving on to higher education. Especially if we consider that from July onwards I have always raced with the WorldTour team, except for the Giro del Friuli. I finally found a place for next year, so I'm happy about that."
Where will you run?
I will be part of the Ineos. It's a new project that starts this year, I think it's an even better environment for my characteristics and that will allow me to take another step forward. 2025 was a good year, except for the crash at Roubaix where I broke my collarbone. But these two years in Arkea have helped me understand what kind of rider I am..
Are you telling us?
I think I'm a good profile for the Northern races, I really like Roubaix and the races in Belgium. I know I'm a top-level time trialist and rouleur.This allows me to play my chances in stage races where there is a time trial. The last two seasons have helped me to specialize, in the future I would like to improve to be more performing even on more challenging routes.
How did the offer from Ineos come about?
Through my agent Acquadro. After the good results at the Tour Poitou, Groupama had approached, while in the following days other offers also arrived. At the same time Ineos was also interested, I heard Dario Cioni and the offer materialized in OctoberHe is responsible for the team and the time trial.
As a time trialist, what does it feel like to think of joining the Ineos team with Ganna e Cioni?
It's incredible. It's not just them because there are also Joshua Tarling he's a really strong time trialist. I have an incredible desire to start and enter this new environmentI can say that I will wear the uniform I have always dreamed of and admired, given my penchant for time trials.
Did you meet Ganna at the European Championships?
Yes, we talked a little but I didn't tell him I was going to be part of the team. However, I found a very good person, helpful and kindWhen I posted the story of my 300-kilometer workout on Instagram, he wrote to me laughing: “Why?” There was no answer, I just wanted it..
