"His big goal is the spring" - Jumbo-Visma unclear on Van Aert's choice of Giro or Tour in 2023

The Tour de France route for 2023 has been (partially) revealed and a big question for Wout van Aert and Jumbo-Visma is on whether he will return to the Grand Boucle, or opt to make his debut at the Giro d'Italia instead.

"There is a story that the Giro would be good, because it includes time trials," Merijn Zeeman said following the Tour's presentation in Paris. “But I think he won two (correction, three) other stages in the Tour this year and he doesn't need a time trial at all to win a stage." The profiles for the flat and most hilly stages were not revealed, hence still casting doubt for the fast men who may want to ride the race.

Read also

Race Analysis - Profiles & Route Giro d'Italia 2023

Route Analysis | Profiles & Route Tour de France 2023

The team is also undecided on which Grand Tours Primoz Roglic and Jonas Vingegaard will ride. Planning is still very much underway within the Dutch team, but a decision is unlikely to be made soon - alongside which riders could be expected to ride each.

Van Aert's priority however, in the first half of the season, is clear: His big goal is the spring. And what comes after that, we're going to discuss. We are mainly working on making a good plan for him so that he can win the Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix," Zeeman concluded.

Read also

"Our biggest competitor is Pogacar" - Jumbo-Visma manager acknowledges challenge of 2023 Tour de France

Everything about... Primoz Roglic - The Slovenian cannibal and Vuelta a Espana dominator