With Bradley Wiggins no longer racing for Team Sky at Strade Bianche after being drafted in to bolster Team Sky at Tirreno-Adriatico, Yorkshireman Ben Swift will join Ian Stannard in Tuscany, opening a pathway for ‘Yogi’ to follow up last weekend’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad success.

Though the Tuscan gravel is a world apart from the cobbles Stannard succeeded on last weekend, he arrives as one of the riders to watch as Team Sky bid to assert themselves on the one-day scene.

Backed by a strong squad, with Bernie Eisel also fond of the Classics and Sebastian Henao and Salvatore Puccio also due on the start line, Sky will be keen for a repeat of at least the second place Thomas Lofkvist earned on their only previous participation.

Lofkvist, now at IAM Cycling, is another possible dark horse for the race but if Stannard is given the full backing of his team he has already proved he is capable at this level.

His ability not only as a strong domestique, but also as a one-day racer is gradually becoming more recognised with his sixth place at last year’s Milan-San Remo now backed by victory at the Omloop.

And should he not feature at the sharp end of the race, the likes of Eisel, Henao and Puccio are equally capable of forcing a result for themselves as Sky bid to continue their strong start to the 2014 Classics season.