Milan is struggling in Tirreno-Adriatico: "I was very worried after the crash"

With his dominant victory in the second stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico, the rest of the Italian stage race seemed like nothing more than a walk in the park for Jonathan Milan. But a crash in stage three made things difficult for the Italian from Lidl-Trek. It was uncertain whether he would start in the fourth stage, but in the end, he managed to finish after a difficult day full of elevation meters, cold, wind, and pain.

Milan crossed the finish line on the last bus, with non-climbers Dylan Groenewegen and Sam Bennett 18 minutes behind the winner. It was a constant battle for him on Thursday. "I just tried to hang on," he said in a press statement. "This morning was quite painful, I have to say. I could still keep up on the first and second climbs of the day, but it was just too much on the third climb. I just rode at my own pace, and with the support of my teammates, I made it to the finish line."

Lidl-Trek concluded on Wednesday evening that the Italian sprinter and Tom Skujins, also involved in the crash, had not suffered any major injuries. However, the 24-year-old track specialist was in a lot of pain. "I must be honest: I was very worried after yesterday's crash. But today, in the final kilometers, I felt a bit better. That has given me confidence for the next few days. We will try to save as much energy as possible and defend this jersey until Sunday. On Sunday, I hope to win the stage."

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What do the injuries mean for Milan-Sanremo?

Milan knows it will be challenging to be truly competitive in the Tirreno-Adriatico. Because even though his body is free of fractures, everything still hurts. "My side and my feet hurt the most. My muscles are also bothering me. But the cold and wet conditions don't help," he laughs. Tirreno is mainly a preparation for the first primary goal of his season: Milan-Sanremo.

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