In May, Dumoulin will be accompanied by Tobias Foss and others at La Grande Partenza in Hungary. “That’s very nice. I am not really an alpha male. I’ve struggled with having a whole crew revolve around me in the past. It is nicer that I can now share the leadership with Tobias in that respect. He is a very nice and suitable rider for that. I hope we can both reach a high level. In that case, we can help each other in the finals.”

The two are supported by Koen Bouwman, Edoardo Affini, Chris Harper, Sam Oomen, Pascal Eenkhoorn and Jos van Emden.

Dumoulin is clear about his personal goals in the Giro. “I will do everything I can from start to finish as high as possible in the standings. The only downside is that there are perhaps too few time trial kilometers included in the course. For various reasons, it has been a while since I rode for a classification. I don’t think I have lost the touch. It is something I have always been naturally good at”, Dumoulin said.

The rider from Limburg will go on an altitude training trip to Colombia at the end of January before starting his season in competition at the UAE Tour. Via Strade Bianche, the Volta a Catalunya and the Amstel Gold Race, Dumoulin will work towards a second training period at altitude. The choice for the race in his own area is a striking one. “Due to the shift of the Amstel Gold Race, I can combine it with an altitude training period. I must invest in altitude training in preparation for a grand tour. Because the Amstel Gold Race and Paris-Roubaix have switched places due to the French elections, it is an ideal combination for me. I find it very special to ride this race in my own country. It used to be one of the reasons why I started cycling.

Dumoulin does not yet have a concrete plan for the rest of his season. “But I already have several interesting races in mind”, he says. “I am eagerly looking forward to the World Championships in Australia. I would like to ride both the time trial and the road race. The Tour of Lombardy and the other Italian races at that time of year also appeal to me.”

“My cycling life looks very different now compared to a year ago”, Dumoulin continues. “At that moment, I had to stop myself. In hindsight, I’m happy I did that at the time. I made a conscious choice to be a cyclist. It has its good sides but also its downsides. I can live with that better now because I know this is what I really want. Now it’s a new year with a new Tom Dumoulin. I am in a different place now. I feel really good and I’m looking forward to the coming year. I have a lot of ambitions.”