Davide Formolo was the best of the Italian riders in the Strade Bianche race: despite evident signs of a crash on his arm and leg, he managed to cross the finish line in fourteenth position over 5 minutes behind winner Tadej Pogacar.

"There was a crash 100 kilometers from the finish and we were still far from the end. As soon as we realized we wouldn't be able to get back into the race, we went at our own pace."

Once again, Strade Bianche made its selection in the group, and behind Pogacar and Pidcock were some riders who fought to at least secure third place. It was a race within a race, with Pidcock and Pogacar racing alone for victory, and everyone else trying to grab the last podium spot, which ultimately went to Tim Wellens. "We never managed to catch them. I tried to at least secure a placement, but at a certain point I gave up and surrendered."

Formolo knows Strade Bianche very well and in 2020 finished second behind Van Aert, having also collected several top-ten finishes. This year's edition, however, was one of the most difficult, not only because it was longer but also due to the final gravel sector, which made the race more challenging.

"Now I just want to take a shower and see what happened to me afterwards. So far, I haven't had much time to think about it. Without a doubt, it was harder than expected. We knew this new section would put a lot of strain on our legs. There was also a crash before entering this new sector, and many riders were involved."

Formolo, who raced for 4 years with UAE Emirates, Tadej Pogacar's team, has been with Movistar since last year. His season will continue with Tirreno-Adriatico and then the Giro d'Italia.