DENIA (Spain) – There is nothing you can do: when you find yourself talking to Jonathan Milan, you can't help but associate him with the "gentle giant". The Friulian comes out of the room reserved for the press conference and sits with us on a cabinet, where shortly before there had been Julius CicconeThe two also stop to chat as they take turns at our microphone.
This is the ideal place. Perhaps unorthodox, but undoubtedly a more relaxed place to talk. To talk about the season that has been and, above all, about what will be. Because 2026 is a year from which much is expected. Jonathan Milan: the return to Tour of Italy, the track races where the chase to Los Angeles begins, a train to fine-tune and even the Roubaix.
There's a sense of great team unity at Lidl-Trek, even among the women. Pedersen is undoubtedly the leader of this group, but Milan is increasingly at the center. He now moves with determination and ease. Having just turned 25, the Friulian is entering the maturity phase.
How are you, Jonathan? You look calm and relaxed...
Good, I'm fine, I'm happy. I'm at the training camp, we've started riding. Not like Ciccone said, we don't train here! Jokes aside, the first training sessions went well, we're trying out some new gear. I'm happy to be back with the guys, I missed them.
You're returning to the Giro d'Italia. Is that right?
The plan is this. I'm happy to be back at the GiroThere will be plenty of opportunities, starting right from the first stage, which awards the pink jersey. I've seen the elevation profile, and it should be quite suitable for sprinters.
Jonathan Milan He's already informed about a stage! You must really care about that pink jersey. You're usually the kind of person who says, "Where are we going today?"...
Exactly,” Milan laughs, “but I don't ask too many questions. I know very little about the other stages, apart from Rome. But I know we'll have several options, so it'll be nice and important to be ready. And we'll be well organized regarding the train too: I'll bring all my boys.
"My boys": awareness of an emerging maturity. Pedersen told us great things about you. Do you sense this shift in influence within the team?
Shouldn't I feel it? I know the team has always supported me from the moment we signed the contract. They always had a beautiful plan for me and always put me in a position to try to achieve the goals. that I gave myself and that we gave each other at the beginning of the season. A great overall improvement.
Speaking of improvement, this year you went to the University of the Tour de France, where you competed against the strongest sprinters. What was the lesson?
In the end, you always have to look at others and learn something. I think the Tour went well, but there were some small mistakes. For example, in the third stage, when I finished second behind merlier, I left too early and the location was not ideal. In the ninth stage, again won by Tim, I started too long and didn't make the best lines. I had caught the wind more than a few times before. These are small adjustments.
That at 70 miles an hour you pay…
Yes, if you make a mistake of a few centimeters you pay the consequences.
When you're there in full preparation for the sprint, do you get a bit nervous and make mistakes more easily?
I don't think it's nerves. There's definitely adrenaline, because sprinting for me is pure adrenaline. It's precisely the movements of the group, the rotations, entering and exiting the slipstreams, getting air when perhaps you should be slipping in or moving with your companions.
What will the train be like this year?
For me, it's important that it's consistent, regardless of who's there. If a rider's position needs to be changed, the train shouldn't be affected. In this training camp and in January, we'll try various solutions. Swapping positions, starting distances... We've also signed Max Walscheid for this purpose.
Which is also practically two meters tall. Perfect for someone as big as you…
Yes, it could be. But with Simone Consonni I've always had a very natural connection. Besides the fact that we're Italian, we're friends, we're also on the track together, we're roommates. We understand each other well and there is something more with him. And that's a good thing.
Are you thinking of any classics, Jonathan?
Certainly. My calendar includes several classics. First I will start with the Saudi Tour and then UAE Tower, Tirreno-Adriatico, so the classics Milan-Sanremo, Ghent and Paris-Roubaix. This is the plan until Roubaix. Saudi Arabia is important because it's hot, which is crucial for me, and it's also ideal for getting the train moving. The roads are good. The Tirreno will also be very important.
Why Tirreno?
Why It has always helped me build my fitness and level up. This year was incredibly tough, even in terms of weather. In 2026, it will be even more important to arrive at the Classics in better shape. I want to do the Classics well.
Sanremo and Roubaix: two words that make you dream...
I really like them. Sanremo is "easy," but things are changing with Pogacar: this year Tadej did something absurd. Too much for me, but it's also a stimulus that makes me say that next year I will train more, I will try and then we'll see.In the meantime, we give 100 percent in training.
And what about Roubaix? You don't go there just for support...
Our Customers Mads Pedersen, He's one of the strongest in the world. It would be foolish not to help him if it matters. He's incredibly strong and still improving. This year, without the puncture, he could have achieved a great result. I can say that the last edition was the first one I finished. The other times I punctured or crashed. In 2026, I'd like to add a piece to the puzzle. I know there are Van der Poel, Van Aert, Ganna, but little by little I would like to get to their level so I can play it.
Track chapter: what's on the menu?
I should start training on the court after the Saudi Tour, then we'll see. Normally, I should be at the World Championships in Shanghai. I've already talked about it with Dino Salvoldi and we've made a good plan.We will have to reconcile the track with road commitments.
