Team time trial 2.0: Lidl-Trek delivers Milan perfectly, who finishes the job with ice-cold precision

The fact that racing even took place in Valencia was already something of a small miracle. Just a few months ago, the region was devastated by severe flooding, causing significant loss of life and destruction. While cycling remained secondary to the larger recovery efforts, the fact that the race could go ahead at a high level speaks volumes about the fighting spirit of the Spaniards that they are already able to organize a cycling race at this level and the right way.

The final stage of this grueling edition of the Tour of Valencia was by far the easiest on paper. After a team time trial, two mountain stages, and a brutal sprint stage that felt like a climbing day, riders faced a 104-kilometer city circuit on Sunday, running from Alfafar to Valencia. With just 87 meters of elevation over the entire route, a bunch sprint was almost guaranteed. However, that didn’t stop a six-man breakaway from attempting an early escape.

It seemed like an easy day on paper, but with the route passing through open fields and along the coast, echelons were always a possibility. With 30 kilometers to go, UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Lidl-Trek strung out the peloton, testing the field. Jonathan Milan’s Lidl-Trek squad had to manage without former race leader Mathias Vacek, who did not start as a precaution following a crash in stage 3. The Italian’s competition was also reduced, as Kaden Groves (Alpecin-Deceuninck) was no longer in the race.

For a brief moment, the peloton split, but the riders chose not to fully commit, allowing everything to come back together. The final breakaway riders were caught with 4 kilometers to go, setting up a textbook sprint finish. Milan had his entire remaining team lined up in front of him, delivering a flawless lead-out. Intermarché-Wanty also did an impressive job positioning Gerben Thijssen at the front, but Lidl-Trek’s execution was perfection. Milan was dropped off by the lead-out with 150 meters to go, and from that position, no one could match him.