Dropped early, then the 'perfect' lead-out for Milan at the Dauphiné, who, after hitting the double, was asked about the yellow jersey in the Tour

"It was very tough today," Milan concluded in the flash interview after the race. "Our goal was to improve our form in this race and go for results. I was really suffering yesterday. This is my first race in a long time. I suffered enormously today, too. I was even dropped from the peloton."

That happened during the second stage on the Côte du Château de Buron (3.2 kilometers at 6.9%). The pace picked up at the front and in the peloton, causing Milan to fall behind and jeopardize his stage win. However, the tall rider could return thanks to his teammates' work.

"I was right at the limit," Milan said of the incident. "But I have to thank my teammates because they brought me back and helped me to the finish. If I had been alone, it would have been tough to return. But when you have a team that brings you back, it's still tough but gives you extra motivation."

The preparations for the final sprint then went smoothly for the Lidl-Trek team. With first Jasper Stuyven and then Edward Theuns, the team with Milan in third place was the first to enter the final corner. "We knew we had to take the final corner at the front. That went flawlessly, a perfect lead-out. That's great, of course," the stage winner analyzed after the finish.

In addition to the stage victory, Milan also wears the yellow leader's jersey in stage three. He is neck and neck with Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), the winner of the first stage. But because Milan finished ahead of Pogacar in stage two, Milan is the new leader.

When asked if he has his sights set on another yellow jersey in the upcoming Tour de France, the 24-year-old laughs. "We'll see. We'll take it day by day."