Wout Van Aert had not raced Strade Bianche since 2021, the year he finished fourth in the edition won by Van der Poel ahead of Alaphilippe and Bernal. The Flemish rider knows this race well, and not only because he won it in 2020, before Covid, but because Italy is a country he loves and he comes here with his wife Sara and their two children to spend their holidays. Yesterday the Flemish rider got the answers to his questions, and he is satisfied with that tenth place, which for him now represents a starting point on which to work and improve. "I have to be satisfied with where I am right now: I did the race I had in my legs," he said.

The Belgian fought hard on the gravel roads of the Tuscan classic, trying to stay with the group of the best riders, and even when he lost ground he showed all his determination, chasing and getting back to the front of the group.

"It was an incredibly difficult race. I'm still missing something, but not much to be in the group behind Pogacar. I'm happy and I fought hard. I can say it was a great performance on my part and I can be satisfied with it. I didn't have any more energy left in my legs, it was incredibly difficult. I know I need to add something more to stay with that group behind Pogacar. So I can be happy, but only for now," he explained.

Tadej Pogacar once again launched a devastating attack and it was impossible for everyone to stay with him. Only Isaac Del Toro and Paul Seixas had the legs to chase him down, but without ever catching him.

"Tadej's attack? I wanted to go with him. But at that moment he made the difference. For now we know that when he's in the race we're all racing for second place. I was hoping for more collaboration from the chasers, in any case I managed to come back," Van Aert said.

Van Aert acknowledges the superiority of his rival, admitting that at this moment no one is able to match him. "Words don't do justice to Pogacar. You expect his result. And then there's nothing else to do but wait for him to prove it. What will I do now? I'll try to improve further at Tirreno-Adriatico to be ready for Sanremo," he concluded.