FDJ-SUEZ have confirmed that Marta Cavalli will not start Strade Bianche and that she will observe a period of time away from racing to continue her long-term recovery from serious injuries she sustained from a horrific crash at the Tour de France Femmes last July.
The team have not confirmed when Cavalli will return to the peloton but stated that she would continue training during her time away from racing, accompanied by the team's performance director.
"In light of Marta Cavalli's early-season races, FDJ-SUEZ team management has decided, in agreement with the cyclist, to withdraw her from Strade Bianche start list, scheduled on the 4th of March 2023," read a statement from FDJ-SUEZ.
"Despite resuming high-intensity training and taking part in early season camps, Marta Cavalli wants to give herself time to fully recover from the physical consequences of her accident during stage 2 of the Tour de France Femmes 2022.
"Marta will observe a period of time without racing and will continue training at high intensity, accompanied by Flavien Soenen, the team's performance director."
Cavalli was forced to abandon the Tour de France Femmes last July after being involved in a crash on stage 2 into Provins, where she sustained head and lower body trauma.
After a lengthy recovery, she returned to racing last October at Giro dell'Emilia, Tre Valli Varesine and Tour de Romandie, and she said she was 100% recovered from the incident. However, she also said that she had not yet reached her best form, which saw her win Amstel Gold Race and Flèche Wallonne earlier that spring.
She joined her FDJ-SUEZ team at pre-season training camps and was part of the roster that competed at the UAE Tour Women in what was her first race of the season.
However, during the four-day race, Cavalli was caught in the crosswinds and echelons during the windswept stage 2, and again on stage 3, which finished atop the decisive Jebel Hafeet, and that left her out of contention for the GC.
At that time, she expressed a lingering discomfort when riding in the peloton, with the team speculating that it was due to the aftermath of the crash she experienced at the Tour de France Femmes.
“Marta is not cured. We finish this race and will take the time it takes to help her. We'll take care of her," FDJ-SUEZ Team Manager Stephen Delcourt said at the UAE Tour Women.
Cavalli went on to start Omloop Het Nieuwsblad for the start of the Spring Classics but did not finish the race.
FDJ-SUEZ reiterated that the team is focused on and supportive of Cavalli's recovery during this time.
"Stephen Delcourt, general manager of FDJ-SUEZ, and the staff wish to make everything that is possible to enable Marta to race at the highest level of performance, as she did in 2022," read the team statement.
