Milan grew up surrounded by bikes — his father, uncle, and both brothers raced — but he was a self-confessed lazy kid who preferred watching TV. What finally pulled him in was a bit of friendly motivation. “My stepfather bought me a second-hand bike and said, ‘Let’s train so you can drop your dad when you go mountain biking.’” Milan laughs. “And it worked.”
He began racing at 13, slowly getting better each week. “I wasn’t very good at the beginning,” he admits, “but I improved a little bit all the time.” Before cycling took over, he also did kung fu, but the bike eventually won out — the freedom, the nature, the choice of any road. “When training, I like being free,” he says. “Just choosing wherever you go. In racing, it’s the adrenaline, the competitiveness. I love that.”
Two years into the U23 ranks, Milan already has experience in big races across Europe and a reputation as a strong finisher. “I think right now I’m a classics rider,” he says, “but I want to figure out where my limits are in the sprint in the next years.” His fast finish has already brought results, including a win at Dorpenomloop Rucphen, proof of his ability to handle tricky conditions and still have a good kick at the end.
Milan will spend one more season with the Development program before stepping up to the WorldTour in 2027. “I think I need that extra year,” he explains. “To gain more experience in the biggest U23 races and learn fully how to be one of the last guys in the sprint. When I move to WorldTour, I think that’s where my place will be in the bunch.”
Ambition comes easily to him, and one dream stands above the rest: “My goal is to win a stage in every Grand Tour. If I could achieve that… I’d sign for it now.”
As for who inspires him, he doesn’t hesitate: Wout van Aert. “I admire the way he races,” Milan says. “And being Belgian, there’s a special connection.”
Off the bike, Milan enjoys simple moments such as playing cards with friends, watching The Big Bang Theory, and eating his favourite Belgian dish, stoofvlees. While, asked to describe himself in three words, he chooses: well-considered, authentic, and an old soul — a thoughtful rider with a calm maturity beyond his years.
With power, instinct, and a clear trajectory, Milan steps into his final U23 season ready to refine his craft — and into the WorldTour with big goals and bigger potential.