‘I would love to go back to Strade Bianche’ – Mathieu van der Poel reveals regrets about missing Italian Classic.

Mathieu van der Poel admitted he had some lingering regrets about skipping this year’s Strade Bianche, telling Cyclingnews that he would love to return to the iconic Tuscan gravel race in the future possibly when he no longer competes in winter cyclo-cross.

The Alpecin–Deceuninck rider was in Italy over the weekend, but his focus was on racing the stage race Tirreno‑Adriatico as the final preparation before the season’s first Monument, Milan–San Remo.

Held in early March, Strade Bianche arrives at a difficult moment in Van der Poel’s schedule. Balancing a demanding winter cyclo-cross campaign with preseason road training and a peak for the cobbled Classics particularly Tour of Flanders and Paris–Roubaix makes the gravel classic a challenging addition to his program.

After watching highlights of this year’s race and seeing friend and rival Tadej Pogačar dominate once again for UAE Team Emirates‑XRG, Van der Poel admitted he felt a slight sense of missed opportunity.

“Yeah, I regret not riding it a little,” he said ahead of stage 2 of Tirreno-Adriatico, which includes a gravel sector and a climb to the finish in San Gimignano terrain that suits his abilities.

Still, the Dutch star believes his current season plan remains the right approach. “The plan we made with cyclo-cross and the rest of the races is already a good one,” he explained, adding that a different winter schedule might allow him to return to Strade Bianche in the future.

The modern route of Strade Bianche features around 4,000 metres of climbing, including repeated ascents of the Colle Pinzuto and Le Tolfe sectors, creating a spectacular but extremely demanding race.

Van der Poel won the event in 2021 when the course featured just a single final lap, yet he made it clear that riders must adapt to the race rather than expect it to change for them.

“My decisions aren’t based on the course,” he said. “The route is what it is, and it shouldn’t be adapted for me. It’s a very hard race and always difficult to win but I’d definitely like to go back one day.”