Merijn Zeeman, Jumbo Visma's sporting director, told AD.nl that only three riders are certain to compete in the Tour de France: Primoš Roglic, Wout van Aert, and Jonas Vingegaard. The remaining slots will be decided after the Tour de Suisse.

Earlier this year, the team had suggested that Steven Kruijswijk, Sepp Kuss, and Rohan Dennis were almost certain to compete in the Tour de France, but Zeman said he wanted to "keep his options open a little longer," according to AD. nl

Rohan Dennis, who led four stages in the Tour de Romandie and finished eighth overall, will compete in the next Criterium du Dauphiné with Kruijswijk, van Aar, and Roglic, while Cus will compete in the Tour de Suisse.

"We have studied the course in detail over the last few months and arrived at the best possible configuration," Zeman said.

The first week of the Tour de France will be filled with tricky stages. Starting in Copenhagen, there are three stages in Denmark before arriving in France with a lumpy stage from Dunkerque to Calais. There are 11 sectors of cobblestones until the fifth stage to Arenberg, where the teams may be better served by a ruler than a pure climber. Zeman plans to pick five riders from a group of eight.

"We want a broad group so that we can start in the most important race of the year. Also, we are still dealing with the corona [virus]. Also, some athletes will be eliminated at the last minute due to crashes or injuries. We have to be prepared for that."

Jumbo Visma had both Roglic and Vingegaard on the podium last year, and this season they will be aiming for the green sprinter's jersey with Van Aert.

Mike Tunissen, Robert Gesink, Tige Benoot, Nathan van Hooydonk, and Christophe Laporte are also candidates for the Tour de France team. All of these riders are ready for the Tour, but unfortunately we have to let some of them down. It is a tough task, but it is also a top sport. At the same time, it is the logical result of the development within the team. The level is very high," Zeman said.

"It is still very likely that these eight riders will compete. We have also explained to them that we want to have the widest possible group of riders. A spot in the Tour is very expensive."