Giro interview with Milan Fretin: "I prefer facing a few climbs or cobbles in a sprint stage"

He’s already racked up three victories this season. For those who were already following him last year, it’s not a complete surprise — but after an impressive spring, cycling enthusiasts can no longer ignore Milan Fretin. So who is this fast-finishing Belgian, and how is he developing as a sprinter at Cofidis?

Fleur caught up with him during the handover of his updated rider card, just ahead of the start of Stage 11 of this year’s Giro d’Italia — Fretin’s very first Grand Tour.

In conversation with Milan Fretin

That Milan Fretin has a powerful sprint is clear. In this Giro, he already claimed an impressive second place in Stage 6, where Groves proved to be the fastest of the day. But calling someone a sprinter doesn’t tell the whole story — there are many different kinds of sprinters, each with their own strengths and limitations. These days, it’s increasingly important for a fast finisher to also have decent climbing legs. Where it used to be a bonus to survive a hill as a sprinter, with today's race profiles, it feels more like a requirement than a luxury.

How would you describe yourself as a rider?

“I get my best results in the sprints. I’ve really developed in that area by focusing my training specifically on sprinting. And now the team expects me to deliver wins in those moments.”

So were you a different type of rider before joining the WorldTour?

“Yes, I think so. I started at Topsport Vlaanderen (Team Flanders - Baloise, ed.), a smaller team. I had great development there, but I was still figuring out what kind of rider I was. I’d often go in the breakaway and even chased mountains classifications. I sprinted too, but without any specific training. It wasn’t until I joined Cofidis that I really began to train for the sprint. And that made a huge difference.”

Did Cofidis scout you specifically as a sprinter, or did the focus on sprinting only come later?

“Even at Vlaanderen, my best results came from sprints. As a young rider, you try to get noticed — whether that’s by attacking all day or showing speed at the finish, it doesn’t really matter. So yes, they scouted me, and then it was important to keep up the good results. That worked out, and I actually renewed my contract with the team (mid-2024, ed.).”

Who was your sprinting role model growing up — if you had one, considering you didn’t always see yourself as a pure sprinter?

“Yeah, as a little kid, it was definitely Tom Boonen, and also Fabian Cancellara. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to race with Boonen. I’ll admit, when I was younger — unlike now — I couldn’t sit through an entire race. Maybe because I didn’t understand everything yet or didn’t really know what I was watching.”

With Boonen being such a standout in the classics, I steer the conversation to Fretin’s rider card. We take a look at his stats in cobbles, hills, mountain, GC, TT, and sprint, but the overall score also factors in categories like one-day races, leadout, flat, and prologue.

What do you think your rating is for one-day races?

“If the max is 99, then probably around 75–80. It’s very different from riding a Grand Tour. When I line up for a one-day race, there are expectations — I’m there to win. In this Giro, there are hard stages I just have to get through. The goal is simply to finish inside the time limit. That’s a new way of racing for me. I don’t know yet which I like better, but I feel good here. Once I’m in the gruppetto, I feel comfortable and shouldn't force too much. And it definitely makes me look forward to each sprint opportunity and go into them 100%.”

That turned out to be a modest estimate — with a score of 90 for one-day races, Fretin can already call himself a specialist. It’s fun to get a glimpse into how he’s experiencing his first Grand Tour, and that even a flat, straightforward sprint stage — often labeled as dull by us TV viewers — can feel just as ‘boring’ to a sprinter.

You’ve got a solid 61 in hills — but that’s more or less essential now, right?

“Yes, I think so. You hardly see any mass sprints on pancake-flat routes anymore. I have to say, though, that those flat races — like Scheldeprijs, for example — aren’t necessarily my favourites anyway; I can get bored. I prefer when it’s a bit harder. Give me some climbs, or things that make it more unpredictable — like cobbles.”

What’s your dream classic to win?

“Any classic would be amazing. Tour of Flanders might be a bit too tough, but in Paris-Roubaix, anything is possible — so that’s the one I’m aiming for.”

Good luck in the remaining sprint chances, Milan — and stay strong in the gruppetto on the way to Rome. (; 

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