Mathieu van der Poel will be in Italy on Saturday afternoon as Strade Bianche plays out on the gravel roads of Tuscany, but he will not be clashing with Tadej Pogačar or using his bike skills on the sterrati sectors of the race.
The 31-year-old Dutchman is arguably the best Classics rider in the world and dominated Omloop Het Nieuwsblad a matter of days ago, so it seems strange and even disappointing that Van der Poel is not riding Strade Bianche. However, we see that the intensity and physiology of modern-day pro cycling limit the number of big-rider clashes during the spring, and the demands of Strade Bianche mean it is out of reach even for Van der Poel.
