The high pace of Jumbo Visma and UAE Team Emirates exposed their weaknesses and the effects of their recent health problems.

The British team included Filippo Ganna, Michał Kwiatkowski, Elia Viviani, Tom Pidcock, and Ethan Hayter, but only Kwiatkowski remained at the front of the pack that was looking for victory in Poggio.

Pidcock missed Strade Bianche due to a stomach ailment and unexpectedly crashed on Capo Berta with 38 km to go. According to Ineos Grenadier's announcement, he also suffered a stomach ailment on the climb of Turcino after 140 km and did not finish the race.

Viviani, who had a cold after Tirreno-Adriatico, dropped out early on the Cipressa with fellow pure sprinter Fabio Jacobsen. Hayter was also separated and finished 54th in the chase group.

Filippo Ganna revealed that he had been feeling ill after Tirreno-Adriatico. However, he lost the wheels of Kwiatkowski and Luke Rowe in the race to the foot of the Cipressa and slowed down when the peloton caught part of an early breakaway.

The time trial world champion dropped too far back as Jumbo Visma and UAE Team Emirates kept the pace high. He finished 51st with the same time as Hayter.

Kwiatkowski was the best finisher for Ineos Grenadiers, finishing 16th. Kwiatkowski followed the attack in Poggio, but could not descend as fast as the winner, Matej Mohoric (Bahrain Victorious). He was also slowed by Giacomo Nizzolo's crash on the descent and finished in the second group, 11 seconds behind on the Via Roma.

Later, in the bus paddock beyond the finish area, Ineos Grenadier's mood was understandably downbeat.

"This is racing. I don't want to complain. After I got sick, it was hard to think I had a chance to win, but I gave it a shot," Ganna explained.

"My back was sore, but that can happen when you run 300 kilometers. They ran Chipressa hard and fast and unfortunately I was a little bit behind."

"I got caught up in the early breakaway riders and it was difficult to fight for position and move up. I got caught up in the second group and couldn't close the gap."

Ineos Grenadiers will now head to Belgium for the start of the Cobbled Classics and then to Spain for the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya. Ganna will participate in a select program of classics, but will miss the Tour de Flanders to peak for Paris-Roubaix.

"My plan is to ride the E3 Harelbeke, Ghent-Wevelgem, the Sarthe circuit in France, and Paris-Roubaix; I've ridden 26 days, so I'll have 30 days before Paris-Roubaix."

Kwiatkowski, who did not compete in Paris-Nice and Tirreno-Adriatico, will compete in the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya to get in shape before the Classics.

"My face says it all," Paul tweeted after the race.

"I'm a little disappointed because it was after a race where my legs came back to life.

"I might have been luckier in the race where I was involved in a crash in the middle of Poggio. Nevertheless, I had a good feeling in the Volta a Catalunya, and I'm happy with the way I rode.