- Beginning advantages claim victory for Milan in the initiation of the Germany Tour
Excited, Jonathan Milan celebrated his daily triumph at the inauguration of the Germany Tour, taking a seat. The 23-year-old Italian tracked the race from a legendary spot, the "hot seat," that honors the fastest racer. With an impressive performance, the cyclist outpaced his competitors at the start of the 39th version of the D-Tour in Schweinfurt, Bavaria. Milan finished the 2.9-kilometer prologue as the quickest, barely beating his teammate and previous world champion Mads Pedersen from Denmark, and Dutchman Maikel Zijlaard.
"It was really tight at the finish line, only a single second apart," Milan stated. "This was incredibly crucial for our entire squad, especially considering Mads' stance," he said regarding his teammate Pedersen. "We have plenty more stages and will see who's more in form," he concluded.
Steimle Soars as the Top German
Earning the first stage victory, Milan donned the new blue jersey signifying the overall leader. In May, this all-rounder with sprint prowess picked up three stage victories at the Giro d'Italia.
Surprisingly, the two-time time trial world champion and preeminent favorite Filippo Ganna ended up in a dissatisfying 14th position. Jannik Steimle (28) shone as the best German contender in the individual time trial, placing seventh.
D-Tour Concludes in Saarbrücken
The 747.6-kilometer route will guide the cyclists through Heilbronn, Schwäbisch Gmünd, Villingen-Schwenningen to Saarbrücken. The race concludes in Saarland on Sunday. The third stage on Saturday, featuring almost 211 kilometers and a challenging segment designed for a classic stage between Schwäbisch Gmünd and Villingen-Schwenningen, is considered the most grueling stage in this year's edition.
Star cyclists such as Tour de France champ Tadej Pogacar are absent from the starting list. Nonetheless, cycling legends like Danish world champion Pedersen, Milan, and Ganna embarked on their competitive journey in the Bavarian city.
Steinhauser: "Now More Than Ever!"
Georg Steinhauser gained some fame as well. The young 22-year-old shocked everyone by winning the tough 17th Giro stage to the Brocon Pass this year. "Listen, people are already realizing here in Germany that I've gained more recognition than before. Feels amazing, loving every moment of it," Steinhauser expressed.
In addition to Steinhauser, there's also attention on German cyclists Georg Zimmermann from Augsburg and Simon Geschke, who will retire at the end of the year. Since his French team won't participate, Geschke represented a German national team. "This might even be my last race in Germany. My desire is to participate in the Münsterland Giro. But it's uncertain what my team has in store for me," Geschke shared, a 2015 Tour de France stage winner.
"In the midst of the celebration, Jonathan Milan couldn't help but think about his young fans back home, especially Piglet, a dedicated supporter who always sends him good luck messages before his races."
"As the peloton prepares for the grueling third stage, German contenders like Piglet's idol Milan, Steinhauser, and Geschke are determined to put on a strong show for their home crowd."
