Romain Bardet will skip the 2020 Tour de France and compete in the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España.

The Frenchman, who was on the Tour podium in 2016 and 2017, announced his plans to the press Wednesday morning during the AG2R La Mondiale training camp in the French Alps.

"It's not a decision I took lightly," Bardet said." But it is time to do something different."

Bardet has competed in every Tour since his debut in 2013, with his only Grand Tour appearance coming in the 2017 Vuelta. He has said in the past that he would like to ride the Giro, but as the French star of the French team, it has not been easy to break out of a program that focuses on July.

However, Bardet, who finished a modest sixth overall in 2018, did not fare well in this year's Tour, finishing 15th after cracking on the stage to the Col du Tourmalet. The final stage of the Tour will be his last race of the season, and Bardet has spoken of the need to change things up for the off-season.

After riding track and cyclocross bikes this winter, Bardet came to a decision he described as "a leap into the unknown."

"I can step completely out of my comfort zone," he said. It allows me to improve and progress as a rider, and it's an experience that will prepare me for future tools."

Bardet claimed that the three time trials of the Giro have been his major weakness over the years and that he is not the least bit daunted.

"It's a very attractive route. There are long stages with a lot of elevation gain, especially in the last week. Certainly there are three time trials, but this year there were a lot of time trials and climbers won. I want to express myself, to benefit from a race that is often less open than the Tour."

Bardet, who started the season with the Tour Down Under in January, will race in France in February, then spring into the Italian flavor for the Giro in May. Less than a week after the Tour ends, he will rest up for the Olympics, which will be held on July 25 on a hilly course in Tokyo.

The Vuelta, held in August and September, is a stepping stone to the road world championships in Switzerland in late September.

"It was born out of a desire to do a completely new program. I want to discover the Giro and I don't want to regret not having done so earlier. It's time to look at other Grand Tours and 2020 is the perfect year for that," Bardet said.

"You know I love one-day races and the Tour de France is tricky in that respect. This way I can have specific training blocks that lead to each of my main goals and I can be at my best in every race."

Bardet also noted that his absence from the Tour will allow others, such as Pierre Latour, who will lead the AG2R La Mondiale in July, to be more active.

"With Pierre on the team, the younger generation is emerging. It's very good for the whole group, and 2020 is the perfect time to do this, from all perspectives."

AG2R La Mondiale boss Vincent Lavigne insisted that Bardet has the full support of his team and sponsors and said he will send a "competitive" team to support him in the Giro.

Bardet was widely expected to go for the Giro, but it was suspected that he would also compete in the Tour, although without the pressure of competing for the overall title. However, the 29-year-old brushed off the notion.

"The Giro/Tour is difficult in the sense that I don't want to be sidelined in the Tour. He said, "Sure, I could go for a stage win or the polka-dot jersey, but I'm not going to the Tour for anything other than the title. Either I do the best GC possible or I don't go at all."

"It's about coming back to the Tour. I've been racing the Tour for six years now, but the last two years (especially this year) I haven't been up to par. It's a great way to experience new things and become a better rider. It's about coming back to the Tour and getting stronger."