No Egan Bernal but Ineos Grenadiers rumble towards Strade Bianche with a stellar team around Tom Pidcock

Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) will look to defend his Strade Bianche title on Saturday with the British rider spearheading a team that includes two-time winner Michal Kwiatkowski and former Tour de France champion, Geraint Thomas. 

Pidcock has built his form steadily over the last few weeks, picking up a couple of top-ten placings and sixth overall at the Volta ao Algarve before finishing a respectable eighth at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad last weekend.

“I feel excited just like I did last year. I’ve had a really good run up to the race, a long training block and few races to start the year where I’ve been steadily building up,” the 2023 winner said in a statement released by his team on Monday.

“It’s interesting going into a race when you’re the previous winner, but I don’t feel pressure, it is what it is. Of course, it will add a target on my back but it doesn’t change how I go into the race.”

The men’s and women’s races have been altered ahead of Saturday's showdowns with extra gravel roads added to what were already considered hard-fought and demanding courses. The men’s field will now race 215km with 71.5km of those consisting of 15 gravel sectors. Pidcock, along with most riders and experts, is expecting a more strenuous race as a result, especially through the new sectors at Strada del Castagno and Montechiaro.

“The change in course this year is certainly going to change the dynamic of the race a lot. The race wasn’t crying out for extra kilometres so it will make it that extra bit harder that’s for sure. 40 km from Le Tolfe feels a long way!”

Joining Thomas will be a strong line-up that includes veteran Geraint Thomas, who is making his Strade Bianche debut, and Kwiatkowski, who won the race in 2014 and 2017.

Egan Bernal, who was third overall in O Gran Camiño was initially down for the Italian one-day race but is now focussing on Paris-Nice, which starts a day later, on Sunday.

Magnus Sheffield, who recently signed a new two-year contract extension with the team has also made the squad, along with Thymen Arensman, Kim Heiduk, and Salvatore Puccio.

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