On the road, Jonathan Milan’s sheer power can make the difference after 100, 200 or perhaps even 300 kilometres of racing, should he one day find the winning formula for Milano-Sanremo. On the track, however, the “giant of Buja”, twice winner of the Giro d’Italia points classification (2023 and 2024), is already a true master of the 4,000 metres. Sixteen laps of the velodrome, an extraordinary display of strength and endurance. Just two weeks before his 26th birthday, on Friday, 16 October, Milan claimed the rainbow jersey by winning the individual pursuit at the UCI Track World Championships in Shanghai, China (14–18 October). And he did so in trademark fashion, delivering a truly outstanding performance
Until a few years ago, this event was the undisputed realm of Filippo Ganna, six-time world champion between 2016 and 2023. Now, however, “Pippo” has handed the scepter to the overwhelming power of his friend Jonny. Together, the two won gold in the team pursuit at the Tokyo Olympic Games, bronze in Paris, and a long string of world championship medals. In Shanghai we see them on the podium together once again: first silver in Thursday’s team pursuit, alongside Francesco Lamon and Alessio Magagnotti, then Milan’s triumph in the individual event, with Ganna third. And anticipation is already growing to see them race together on the road as well, in the colors of Lidl-Trek, the team Ganna signed with just a few days ago.
Milan improves his own world record
Milan had already laid down a marker in the individual pursuit qualifying round, clocking a blistering 3’58″850 at an average speed of 60.289 km/h and shaving three tenths of a second off the world record he himself had set when claiming the world title in 2024. In the final, against Denmark’s Frederik Madsen, freshly crowned world champion in the team pursuit, the Italian, a five-time Giro d’Italia stage winner including his victory in Rome earlier this year, once again came flying out of the blocks, powering to victory in 4’00″769.
In the bronze medal final, Ganna prevailed over another Dane, Rasmus Pedersen, securing the 16th medal of his career at the UCI Track World Championships. An impressive tally, to which he can add another ten medals won at the Road World Championships. The endurance disciplines of track cycling thus continue to highlight the talent of riders who are also familiar faces at the forefront of races such as the Giro d’Italia, Tirreno-Adriatico and the great Classics organised by RCS Sport, from Strade Bianche to Il Lombardia, not forgetting Milano-Sanremo.
Just moments before the individual pursuit finals, Benjamin Thomas, a 2024 Giro d’Italia stage winner, had won the silver medal in the points race. Also present in Shanghai are Simone Consonni, Matteo Fiorin, Lorena Wiebes, Lotte Kopecky and Kristen Faulkner, other names well known to fans of the great road races.
From the Giro d’Italia to the World Championships, the stars of the Corsa Rosa continue to shine. And once again, pink turns rainbow.
