Jonathan Milan leads the Italian group within the males’s highway race on the European Championships on Sunday, with the Azzurri satisfied they will management any assaults from Mathieu van der Poel and Mads Pedersen and so guarantee a high-speed energy dash end.
The 23-year-old Italian has received 11 sprints this season and is on a roll after taking three levels on the Deutschland Tour after which two on the Renewi Tour. He additionally received three levels on the Giro d’Italia earlier than anchoring the Italian group pursuit quartet on the Paris Olympics.
Milan was second behind Olav Kooij finally weekend’s BEMER Cyclassics however that has left him hungry to win the white and blue European Champion’s jersey.
The 220km elite males’s race in Jap Flanders is predicted to be raced like a Spring Basic, with cobbles, slender roads and maybe gentle crosswinds all an element. Nonetheless, the race is predicted to be managed by the nations with quick finishers.
2023 European Champion Christophe Laporte leads the French group, whereas Milan’s Lidl-Trek teammate Mads Pedersen leads the Denmark line-up. Belgium have opted to share management between Jasper Philipsen and Tim Melier and they’re going to compete in opposition to one another within the case of a bunch dash end.
Van der Poel leads the Netherlands and is predicted to go on the assault however Kooij can be of their eight-rider squad. Outsiders embody Kasper Asgreen (Denmark), Alexander Kristoff (Norway) and Stefan Küng (Switzerland).
Milan could have the assist of a robust and skilled Italian squadra that features highway captain Matteo Trentin, new European time trial champion Eduardo Affini, Mattia Cattaneo, Davide Ballerini, Mirco Maestri, Jacopo Mosca and trusted lead-out man and fellow group pursuit rider Simone Consonni.
“Jonathan does not have to fret about something and simply take into consideration the end,” Italian nationwide coach Daniele Bennati mentioned lately.
“We have the riders who maybe cannot reply to highly effective assaults from van der Poel however who can, on paper, chase down the assaults.
“We’ll resolve our remaining ways simply earlier than the race and it will be as much as Consonni to steer out and handle the dash lead out. Mosca might be there to do some early management work however everybody else might be there to work for Milan within the dash.”
