Australian rider Amanda Spratt (BikeExchange-Jayco) is returning to European racing after surgery for form-inhibiting iliac artery intimal fibrosis.

The 34-year-old Springer, who has twice finished in the top 10 in this race through the Tuscan hills, was able to begin training again in late December after undergoing surgery in October to address a condition that restricted blood circulation that had unknowingly weighed heavily on her form was able to do so.

Spratt competed in the Australian National Road Series and the Santos Festival of Cycling in January, but due to her fast recovery, she did not achieve any results and instead took on the role of team domestique for her rehabilitation. Since then, Spratt has trained for another five weeks, but the challenging terrain of Strade Bianche, plus a field packed with top teams and top riders, is sure to be a tough reintroduction to the women's World Tour event.

"I am very excited to be back with the team. It's been a long time since I've been in a 'big' race and I picked one of the hardest races of the year, but it's so epic and challenging that I can't wait," Spratt said in a team media statement. [Especially in the technical gravel sectors and of course the hard finale. It will be a really aggressive race and we can adapt our style"

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Spratt, who will start the season with the Ardennes Classic, will run with familiar faces such as Georgia Williams, Ane Santesteban, and Jess Allen, while team newcomer Kristen Faulkner adds a valuable asset and first-year pro Ruby Roseman-Gannon will be making her Strade Bianche debut.

"We had a good training session in Majorca, so our expectations for this race have to be realistic. Spratt said, "I know that Ane is really in top form, and I'm looking forward to the race."

Spratt, Williams, and Allen are part of the team that supported and led former team leader Annemiek van Fruten to victory in both 2019 and 2020. Santesteban also finished 15th in 2020 as part of Seratijit-WNT, while Faulkner debuted with TIBCO-Silicon Valley Bank in 2021 and finished 16th.

"We come to Strade Bianche with a strong team and multiple options in good conditions. The level of racing is high and you never know what can happen on the hilly white roads of Tuscany." It will be important that we work well as a team and stay in good positions throughout the race."

Saturday's 136-km race includes a total of 31.4 km of gravel with eight sectors and six categories of climbs, with the final slope to Siena a key challenge in the final stages before the historic Piazza del Campo finish line.

"The key is positioning," Vestby said. 'If we stick together and keep the front of the pack to avoid any problems, then anything can happen in Siena.'