Jumbo-Visma have confirmed they will take three leaders to contest the yellow jersey at the Tour de France next summer, with Tom Dumoulin, Primoz Roglic and Steven Kruijswijk all scheduled to ride.
The team laid down their intentions to approach the Tour with a three-pronged attack at their official presentation in Amsterdam on Friday morning as they look to break Team Ineos‘s five consecutive wins at the race.
Jumbo-Visma also went to the extent of naming their full Tour team seven months early, stating that the trio will be supported by Wout van Aert, Tony Martin, Laurens De Plus, Sepp Kuss and Robert Gesink.
Dumoulin joins on January 1st from Team Sunweb and, as a home rider with previous Grand Tour pedigree, was expected to have a clear run at contesting the Tour in July.
With that in mind, rumours circulated that Vuelta a Espana winner Roglic would have to return to the Giro in order to make way for Dumoulin, while Tour podium-finisher Kruijswijk would also have missed out on a chance of returning to the race.
However, sport director Merjin Zeeman believes the team’s best chance of winning the Tour came by taking all three riders.
‘We have made an analysis of the last five years of all Grand Tours. What is the influence of the time trials on the final classification? What was the composition of the team that was able to conquer and defend a jersey? We found a common thread in that,’ explained Zeeman.
‘We have to go to the Tour with the strongest possible team. Then we’ll have a chance to win. We’re going to do everything we can to conquer the yellow. We are very happy, proud and motivated to do so.’
Dumoulin also spoke at the launch stating his ‘goal is definitely to win the Tour’ and that the idea of riding with two fellow leaders excited him.
With all three targeting the Tour, it paves the way for Kiwi George Bennett to ride the Giro d’Italia as team leader in May.
This all-out approach also means that multiple-stage winner Dylan Groenewegen looks likely to miss out on a spot in the 2020 Tour line-up.
The sprinter will chase new goals next season, starting with the target of Milan-San Remo in March before doubling up with the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana later in the year.
Groenewegen, however, is apparently thriving the chance to target new races away from the Tour, as Zeeman told.
‘We’ve sat together a lot and really thought about his career in general. He has extended his contract. Dylan will be on this team for the next four years. Then you wonder: what do you still want to achieve in your career?,’ asked Zeeman.
‘He is very clear about that: win as many races as possible and win stages in all grand tours. He will go to the Giro and the Vuelta with the best possible help.’