Although the absence of Alessandro Ballan in the Strade Bianche will certainly be felt by the BMC Racing Team, Assistant Director Fabio Baldato remains optimistic.

Ballan, twice a runner-up in Strade Bianche (2008, 2011) and fourth last year, continues to recover from a training ride crash in Spain in December. He broke his left leg in two places, fractured a rib and needed surgery to remove his spleen and later his appendix. But Baldato said the presence of a strong team around another past world road champion, Cadel Evans, and Greg Van Avermaet will help make up for Ballan's absence. "Cadel will be our leader and Greg is in very good condition too," Baldato said. "Greg is really a fighter and this race is one for the fighters. He was right there to help Alessandro last year near the end."
 
Evans won Stage 7 of the 2010 Giro d'Italia on a rain-soaked course that included stretches of Strade Bianche's white gravel roads through the rolling hills of Tuscany's wine country. After taking third place at the Tour of Oman earlier this month, the 2011 Tour de France champion said the cancellation of GP di Lugano Sunday "was a bit of a pity," because the course runs close to his home. But indoor training sessions this week due to more snow have not dampened his enthusiasm. "So far, the start to the season has been good," Evans said. "It's only been Oman, but I prefer to start off at the point end of the peloton so it sets the standard for the rest of the year. I look to progress from Oman to here and onwards to Tirreno-Adriatico and so on."