With the UCI Road World Championships just around the corner, the 2019 season has yet to close, but Russian sensation Pavel Sivakov (Team Ineos) is already thinking about his 2020 Grand Tour plans.

After a strong ninth-place finish at this year's Giro d'Italia, it might seem obvious that his next step would be to return to the Corsa Rosa and try to improve on his previous result, but the 22-year-old is instead aiming to make the Ineos squad for the 2020 Tour de France.

"When the season is over, I will analyze it with the team and the coaches. It could be the Vuelta or the Giro, but why not try the Tour? I'd like to try the Tour of Britain," he told Cyclingnews after finishing fourth in last week's Tour of Britain.

This has been a breakthrough season for the Russian rider. He had already joined Team Ineos as one of the most sought after and talented riders under the age of 23. Not only did he put in a mature performance at the Giro d'Italia, but this year he also won the Tour de Pollogne and the Tour de l'Alps.

Sivakov is proud of his 2019 accomplishments, but it is clear that the bigger picture is important to him. He sees the next phase of his development as riding in support of someone like Chris Froome or Egan Bernal in the Tour de France, rather than focusing on fighting for GC in the Grand Tours next year. He believes he can learn the most in that scenario and terrain.

"In my opinion, it was great and we proved a lot in the Giro. But at the moment, for example, if I were to go back to the Giro and try to get back into the top 10 or top 5 again, that would be great, but is it really what I want?

"I want to grow and why not grow and be ready to win something. That would be the time for me to go as a leader.

"There were a lot of steps up this year. 'Physically, I've improved a lot on the climbs, and I'm stronger overall. I feel like I'm able to make races, not just keep up with them like I did last year."

The season is not over yet for Shivakov, who returns to England next week to prepare to lead the Russian Federation to the World Championships. He heads to Yorkshire with the potential to make an impact on both the time trial and road race he will be competing in.

"I will compete in time trials and road races. 'I'm going to be improving in the time trial because it's a step up from riding in the Grand Tours. In the road race, I just have to do my best."

"I think I will be the leader and the Tour of Britain was good preparation for that. I'm not very fast, so I'm going to try to stay in the finals and make something happen. I will attack long before the finish. If I wait, riders like Mathieu Van der Pol will crush me."