Tiesj Benoot explains Wout van Aert's absence from Strade Bianche: "It is the same planning as last year"

Many of the world’s best riders lined up for Strade Bianche on Saturday, but two notable absentees were Wout van Aert and Tiesj Benoot. The Visma | Lease a Bike duo, both former winners of the race, opted instead for an altitude training camp as they prepare for the cobbled classics, a strategic decision aimed at ensuring Van Aert finally secures a long-awaited victory at the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix.

For Visma | Lease a Bike, skipping Strade Bianche means racing without a clear leader, something that would be unthinkable if Van Aert or Benoot were on the start line. However, Benoot insists the decision was made quickly and was based on a plan that has worked well before.

"That was decided quickly. It is the same planning as last year. Then we also returned two days before the E3 Saxo Classic," Benoot told Sporza. "Unfortunately, the four who were here a year ago all fell in the week after we returned. We did have a positive feeling about it, so we wanted to try again."

Skipping Strade Bianche is not an easy decision for a rider like Benoot, who has a deep connection to the race. He claimed victory in 2018, in what is widely regarded as one of the most brutal editions in history.

Torrential rain, freezing temperatures, and mud-covered gravel roads created an iconic spectacle, and Benoot’s solo triumph in the chaos remains one of the most memorable moments in the race’s history.

"When people think of me, they automatically link me to that edition," he laughed. "It remains a very nice memory. When (Peter) Sagan pushed through, I felt that I had a very good day. I had not often been on Sagan's wheel with such an easy feeling."

Benoot recalled how he felt strongest in the final kilometres, something few riders can say when Sagan was at his peak.

"I felt the best in the final. I rode there easily and on the next climb I was able to ride away alone. In that type of race, it is a very special experience."

Even now, six years later, his win at Strade Bianche remains a defining moment in his career.

"There is a photo hanging in the dining room, taken from an apartment. My hands are in the air, with a lot of spectators around. And I still have the jersey, framed and unwashed."

While Benoot is fully committed to altitude training and the team’s cobbled classics ambitions, there is no hiding his disappointment at missing the race that shaped his career.

"I really regret not being at the start. We are here on altitude training for the Flemish classics, and I fully support that. But choosing is losing. If there is one race that I regret missing, it is Strade Bianche. It is a choice that we made together to be as good as possible afterwards."

Despite not racing, Benoot won’t miss the action entirely. He and his teammates will be watching from their altitude training base, even if it comes with a tinge of regret.

"Saturday we have a quiet day. So in the afternoon, we can watch the race, with regret in our hearts."

For Van Aert, missing Strade Bianche is part of a bigger picture, he has achieved plenty in his career, but the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix remain elusive. With the team fine-tuning every aspect of his preparation, this training block could be the key to finally breaking through. Whether the sacrifice of Strade Bianche pays off will only become clear in the weeks ahead, but this is a crucial decision for the team.