After three weeks of racing across Italy, the 2024 Giro d’Italia concluded with a 125km-long sprint stage around Rome. It was set to be another showdown between Tim Merlier (Soudal Quick-Step) and Jonathan Milan (Lidl-Trek), who have been by far the two best sprinters at this year’s race, and it was the Belgian rider who emerged victorious.
Milan and his teammates had done well to get him back into contention for the finish after a late mechanical for the Italian in the finale with around 9km to go when UAE Team Emirates were setting a high pace in the peloton. They brought him back to the front of the peloton as they went into the final kilometre and placed him in the perfect position going into the final few hundred metres.
