Caleb Yuan (Lotto Soudal), one of the favorites to win Milan - San Remo, will miss the race due to illness.

The Australian follows defending champion Jasper Steiven (Trek-Segafredo) and 2019 champion Julian Alaphilippe (Quick-Step Alphavinil) in a long and growing list of big-name competitors withdrawing. The latest.

Shortly before Ewan's absence was confirmed, Beulah Hansgrohe indicated that Sam Bennett would also miss the race due to illness.

Ewan, who finished second in Milan-San Remo in 2018 and 2021, had been riding well in the early part of the season and had La Classissima as his main goal for the year. In the days leading up to the race, however, he fell ill with a stomach bug.

Lott Soudal's staff held off on sidelining him until the last minute, but by Friday noon it was clear that he would not be fit and they pulled the plug.

"It's very disappointing that he won't be able to start his main goal for the spring season.

"I was feeling good and ready for a hard race, but like many other riders, I got gastroenteritis at the worst possible time. I had to decide, along with my team, that it was better to focus on other goals right now."

While Taddei Pogachar and Wout Van Aert dominated the pre-race headlines, Ewan was listed in the same upper echelon as a favorite to win Saturday; the two-time runner-up Australian is a fearsome sprinter, but this time last year he was showed surprising acceleration in the Poggio, proving that he is not a pure bunch sprinter.

Last year, as in 2018, he was hampered only by an opportunistic lone attacker, waiting for the stars to align to win the race at the top of his bucket list. Ewan had already shown his strong form this season with three wins, but he will have to wait another year for his next attempt at La Primavera.

In Ewan's absence, Philippe Gilbert will take on the final Milano-Sanremo challenge as leader of Lotto Soudal. Philippe Gilbert, a former world champion, will conquer five monuments if he wins.

Ewan joins a long list of candidates who will not line up in Milan on Saturday morning. In addition to Steuben and Alaphilippe, Paris-Roubaix champion Sonny Colbrelli (Bahrain Victorious) has been ruled out due to illness.

On Friday morning, Bora Hansgrohe announced the absence of Sam Bennett. The Irish rider has not had a very good start to the season. Beulah Hansgrohe has not yet announced tomorrow's race lineup.