Sports director Grischa Niermann revealed that six riders are already sure of their place in Team Jumbo Visma’s Tour selection. “Primoz Roglic, Jonas Vingegaard, Sepp Kuss, Rohan Dennis, Wout van Aert and Steven Kruijswijk will be there. We will select the last two riders at the beginning of May. Then we will start with the specific preparation for the Tour.”

Niermann thinks that a powerful team will be at the start. “We are going to put together a tactical plan, together with the riders, to beat the top favourite Tadej Pogacar. We are working out all kinds of possible scenarios.”

Sportive director Merijn Zeeman agrees. “It’s the biggest race in the world and the hardest to win, but we think it’s a great challenge. We are looking forward to it. As Team Jumbo-Visma, we want to win the Tour one day. The competition is huge, however.”

Roglic embraces his team’s approach. “We are going to look step by step how we can be at our best there. That’s the most important thing: then the results will come naturally.”

Belgian champion Van Aert would like to clinch the green points jersey. “But I hope to be part of the team that won the Tour. I have shown that I can be a team player and achieve personal success. We will try to combine that again in the upcoming edition.”

With Dennis, the yellow-black brigade attracted a tried and tested all-rounder. “I am thrilled to be part of this team. This team is doing everything it can to get better every day and that really appealed to me”, the Australian says. “I can play an important role in the team. Also in the Tour.”