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Mathieu van der Poel will not race Strade Bianche, despite being in Italy this Saturday. The 31-year-old Dutchman, a standout in Classics, recently dominated Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. His absence raises eyebrows, but the intensity of modern cycling limits clashes among top riders. Alpecin-Premier Tech team manager Christoph Roodhooft states, "Strade Bianche is way over the limit for those guys. Even for Mathieu." Van der Poel opts for Tirreno-Adriatico starting Monday, focusing on preparation for Milan-San Remo and the cobbled classics. Strade Bianche demands high fitness levels, adding it to his schedule risks his form for Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Tadej Pogačar debuts his season at Strade Bianche but skips Tirreno-Adriatico, aiming for Milan-San Remo. Wout van Aert returns to Strade Bianche after five years, but illness and injury may hinder his performance against Pogačar.
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