“You need to call my girlfriend!”: Filippo Ganna to skip Tour of Flanders because his partner has a “fantastic” Easter dinner planned

Following his impressive maiden classics victory at Dwars door Vlaanderen, where he bested Wout van Aert after overcoming two bike changes, Filippo Ganna has confirmed he will not participate in the upcoming Tour of Flanders. The Ineos Grenadiers rider, known for his time trial prowess, stated his decision was influenced by his girlfriend's "fantastic" Easter dinner plans, humorously adding, "You need to call my girlfriend!"

This decision, while delivered with Ganna's characteristic charm, highlights the increasing specialization within top-tier cycling and the strategic choices teams make regarding rider schedules. Ganna's Dwars door Vlaanderen win, his first major cobbled classic, signals his growing comfort and capability on the cobbles, making his absence from Flanders a tactical curiosity. While Ineos has other strong contenders, Ganna's burgeoning form would undoubtedly have added another dimension to their Ronde challenge, especially given his power on the longer, flatter sections.

Ultimately, Ganna's choice underscores that even for a rider of his caliber, a "fantastic" Easter dinner can, apparently, outweigh a Monument. One can only hope the lamb lives up to the hype.