Jonathan Milan adds two Spring Classics to his programme after UAE Tour hat-trick

Milan closed the race in Abu Dhabi with authority, taking his third win of the week and underlining Lidl Trek’s control in the sprint stages. 

“It’s really nice to end this UAE Tour with this victory. Last year was pretty close to this. Merlier anticipated a huge sprint, and I wanted to do more or less the same, so I took a bit of experience from last year,” he said after the finish.

The final stage was anything but straightforward. A stubborn breakaway survived deep into the finale and the average speed hovered above 50 kilometres per hour. With the wind turning into a headwind in the closing stretch, positioning became decisive. 

“Today was a super fast stage and also hard with the wind and the super strong break. We had to control it, and we did really well,” Milan explained. 

“I want to say thanks for the huge efforts my teammates did in this UAE Tour. We showed that we are one of the best trains, so I’m happy with the victories and also with how we did the race.”

That strength now heads with him to Belgium. Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne has been added to his programme, giving him an immediate shot against the classics regulars.

Milan has raced Kuurne before, in 2023 and 2025, and finished sixth in last year’s sprint. In his current shape, he will arrive with different expectations.

Dwars door Vlaanderen has also been added to his programme, giving him another outing on Flemish roads. In Flanders Fields – from Middelkerke to Wevelgem, better known as Gent-Wevelgem, was already planned, creating a northern block that should suit the 25-year-old Italian, who in recent years has shown growing potential in the Spring Classics alongside his exceptional sprinting abilities.

Beyond Flanders, his spring programme continues with Tirreno-Adriatico, where further stage opportunities await, and Paris-Roubaix, a race he will approach with real curiosity. From there, Milan will build towards the Giro d’Italia, the main objective of his season.

For now, the figures underline his form. Three stage wins in the UAE Tour took his career total to 30 and confirmed the sharpness of Lidl-Trek’s lead-out train. 

Milan welcomed the result but was already looking ahead: “I’m really, really happy for this achievement, and I hope to keep pushing and try to be the best in the next races of the season. Then we will see how it will end."