A year after his challenge to Strade Bianche was ruined by a dramatic crash, Julien Alaphilippe returns to Tuscany with big ambitions, buoyed by his victory in last weekend's Von Ardèche Classic.

Although Alaphilippe has been sharply criticized by Sur-Quick Step manager Patrick Lefebvre following a disappointing 2022 season, the two-time world champion has started his new campaign on a positive note.

Last Saturday, Alaphilippe attacked on the climb of St. Romain de Reims with 30km to go in the hilly Von Ardèche Classic, then beat David Gaudou (Groupama-FDJ) for second place at the finish in Guilherin Grange.

"It confirms what we have done in the last few weeks, and it is encouraging," Alaphilippe said after the finish.

"The season has only just begun and we have a lot of work to do.

Alaphilippe's 2022 season was marred by injury and illness. He suffered two ribs, a broken scapula, and a punctured lung in a group crash in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which forced him to miss the Tour de France.

After returning to the Tour de Wallonie with a win in Mule de Uy, Alaphilippe soon contracted COVID-19 and then fell at the Vuelta a España, dislocating his shoulder.

These hardships were already foreshadowed by a crash at Strade Bianche. A group crash caused by a gust of wind on the gravel with 100 km to go threw Alaphilippe over the handlebars.

Alaphilippe was able to re-enter the race and continue competing, but the accident effectively ended Alaphilippe's challenge and he was left as a spectator when Tadej Pogachar took the win with 50 km to go.

On Saturday, Alaphilippe led the Sudar-Quick-Step, including Mauri Vansevenin, who had impressed in the Tour of Oman, Davide Ballerini, Dries De Venance, Casper Pedersen, and Pieter Serry, to Strade Bianche Return to.

Alaphilippe won the 2019 Strade Bianche, finishing second behind the rampant Mathieu van der Pol two years later.

With Pogachar and Wout van der Pol absent on Saturday, Alaphilippe and van der Pol are the favorites to win in Siena.

"We love Strade Bianche and we know how hard and beautiful this race is.

"Having a number of riders who can do something on this course means we can try a lot of different things.

Alaphilippe's victory at Ardèche was a consolation for the team, which ran the cobbled classics at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Cune Brussel-Cuneux.

Alaphilippe skipped cobblestones altogether last spring, but this year he will have a very full Classics program with Milan-San Remo, E3 Harelbeke, Ghent-Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders, and the Ardennes Classics.

Teams may be increasingly focused on Remco Evenpole's Grand Tour ambitions, but Alaphilippe seems to be playing an ever more important role in the one-day race plans.