Filippo Ganna WILL race Tour of Flanders after all - Italian set to fight van der Poel and Pogacar once again

Looking at Filippo Ganna's schedule over the past few weeks, there was a notable gap as he was not planned to race the Tour of Flanders. However after his massive rides at Milano-Sanremo, it seems like INEOS Grenadiers have finally decided to change this and test the Italian in the bergs.

Ganna has in fact been in the form of his life over the past few weeks, winning the time-trial and finishing second at Tirreno-Adriatico, then taking that form to Milano-Sanremo where he was second on the day, sandwiched between Mathieu van der Poel and Tadej Pogacar whom he managed to match on the day's climbs.

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Although the steep and explosive ascents of Flanders are not as well suited to him, his power and form are there, and this Friday at the E3 Saxo Classic he could not have given a better sign of how strong he's riding. The Italian was the one to match Mads Pedersen and van der Poel's attack on the Taaienberg, and although he was dropped on the Oude Kwaremont, he rode himself into a podium spot.

Ganna was set to race Paris-Roubaix which without a doubt suits him better, however only now was the Tour of Flanders added to his program according to Gazzetta dello Sport's Ciro Scognamiglio. This will mean the British team will be supporting him as a leader - after a strong support ride at E3 - and it should also mean that he will be absent from Gent Wevelgem this Sunday as he prepares for the two long monuments.

Ganna has not ridden the Tour of Flanders since 2019... At that time he rode the Belgian monument on two occasions but never featured in the fight for top results. However, with the likes of Ben Turner, Joshua Tarling and Magnus Sheffield in the lineup, it gives the team realistic chances of fighting for the podium.

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"I hoped to follow those two, but I am simply too heavy for those climbs" - Filippo Ganna needs to adjust tactics after E3

"To be beaten by a monster, that's okay" - Mads Pedersen does not rue being beaten by Mathieu van der Poel

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