Rain and wet asphalt do not stop Jonathan Milan. Despite the unfavorable weather conditions, the blue sprinter from Lidl-Trek, in fact, won the Tour de France EFGH Singapore Criterium, unleashing his horses in a sprint that saw Biniam Girmay (Intermarche-Wanty) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Deceuninck) finish behind him in second and third place respectively.

THE CHRONICLE. Standing out for will and determination in the first laps is Domen Novak (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) who, first with Thomas Tong (Team SCF) and then alone, remains long in the breakaway. Behind him, while in the group Girmay's, Philipsen's, and Milan's men set the pace keeping the group about thirty seconds away, Adria Pericas (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Rudy Molard and Dorian Godon (France), Boom Kiak and Tong (Team SCF), Hafizh Muhammad (ASC Monsters) and Primoz Roglic (Red Bull BORA hansgrohe) launch into pursuit, managing to regroup the situation with 18 laps to go. With 35 km to the finish, Pericas breaks away solo but his action is canceled after 3 kilometers by the pursuers, onto whom, shortly after, the peloton (led by Verona) catches up. Arfan Bin Faisal (Team SCF) then attacks in counterattack, but he too has no luck and is quickly brought back into the ranks by the riders behind him.

After the only intermediate sprint won by Philipsen ahead of Milan, a very interesting group forms at the front, including Ivan Romeo (Movistar), Ben O'Connor (Jayco-AlUla), Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), an indomitable Roglic and Ben Healy (EF Education Easypost). The five build up to a 35" advantage over the group which, whipped by Lidl-Trek's work, responds by trimming their margin. At the start of the last lap, however, the gap is still 19 seconds and, aware of this, Ben Healy decides to attack solo. The Irishman truly believes he can make it, but with a violent acceleration behind him, the peloton manages to forcefully close the gap and, as expected, bring the race to a sprint where Milan prevails, putting Girmay, Philipsen, Jordi Meeus (Red Bull BORA hansgrohe), Dorian Godon (France) and Davide Stella (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) behind him.

FINISH ORDER

1. Jonathan Milan (ITA/Lidl-Trek) - 3:25:30

2. Biniam Girmay (ERI/Intermarchè-Wanty) - s.t.

3. Jasper Philipsen (BEL/Alpecin-Deceuninck) - s.t.

4. Jordi Meeus (BEL/Red Bull-Bora) - s.t.

5. Dorian Godon (FRA/France) - s.t.

6. Davide Stella (ITA/UAE Team Emirates-XRG) - s.t.

7. Edward Theuns (BEL/Lidl-Trek) - s.t.

8. Rudy Molard (FRA/France) - s.t.

9. Kaden Groves (AUS/Alpecin-Deceuninck) s.t.

10. Hector Alvarez (SPA/Lidl-Trek) s.t.

Photo credit: A.S.O./Thomas Maheux