Jonathan Milan was the big favorite for the first stage of the AlUla Tour and the Friulian did not disappoint expectations, taking his first victory of the season. The start and finish were at the AlUla Camel Cup Track, where Milan demonstrated his clear superiority in the sprint.

"Yes, to be honest, I have to say that it was more difficult than I expected - Milan said before the award ceremony -. I anticipated some problems, but then I thought we might come back together, and I also believed that a large group would eventually catch up with us".

For Milan, today was the first racing day of 2026 and arriving as the big favorite means always being under some pressure. "We had to push hard to stay ahead. My teammates were truly impressive. Kesia and Jakub were super strong when we took the lead. I also want to thank all the others who supported me throughout the previous part. In the end, without using too many words, I'm simply super happy".

Racing and winning at the AlUla Tour is never straightforward, because on a fast course, challenges are always present. "Today we knew we had to stay at the front all day, and I was helped by my teammates. We needed to be at the front in the first laps, but also manage the sprint perfectly. It was a bit complicated, and you know you always have to expect anything, maybe a small group of three or four riders attacking that you can no longer catch".

Milan wanted to thank his teammates, who protected and helped him in the final of this first day. The Friulian knows he has other opportunities and hopes to seize them in the coming days.

"My teammates put me in a perfect position. For a sprinter, winning at the start of the season is essential. You win on the first day of the season and this means having more confidence in yourself and being able to aim for other successes this week. We have other beautiful stages already tomorrow and I'm really super happy and now I can't wait to race again".