Jumbo-Visma is leaving the door open for Tom Dumoulin to compete in the 2021 Tour de France.
The Dutch Grand Tour star has decided to take a break from professional cycling, announcing the decision to his team during their training camp last month.
Dumoulin, 30, is currently on unpaid leave and has not given any indication of when he might return to the sport, as he wants to consider his future as a professional rider.
But Dumoulin’s team believe the winner of the 2017 Giro d’Italia has the potential to return to the highest level this year, if he chooses.
In an interview with cycling website Wielerflits (opens in new tab), Jumbo-Visma coach Grischa Niermann said: “We now assume that Tom will not participate in the Tour. He needs time and he gets that time. The route to the Tour has already started, but the specific preparation for the Tour de France will start for us at the beginning of May. If Tom returns to training before the time and reaches a good level, he is so talented that through that preparation he can be at the start of the Tour in top form. It wouldn't be fair to exclude him from that. ”
In January, the Dutch WorldTour team made the surprise announcement that Dumoulin would be stepping back from the sport as he had been struggling with the pressure and expectations.
The news came just days after Dumoulin had explained how excited he was to race a cobbled Classics campaign this season, before turning his focus to the Grand Tours.
Dumoulin said at the time: “I’m going to think a lot, take the dog for walks and look for: what do I want as a person with the bike? What do I want with my life?
“The team supports me in this and it feels good. It feels like a backpack has lost 100 kilos. I immediately woke up happy. It feels so good that I finally made the decision to take some time for myself.”
>>> Alpecin-Fenix leaves the UAE Tour after positive Covid-19 test
Niermann said the team are not regularly contacting Dumoulin to ask when he will return to training, and added that it would take time for him to increase his training and get back to competition.
Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
-
-
Bikes of the Atlas Mountain Race 2023: from comfort gravellers to speed weapons, here’s what caught our eye
Covering 1,300km / 800mi of Morocco’s gravel roads and mountain passes, the Atlas Mountain Race demands a tech-heavy approach for its 3+ days of bikepacking racing
-
British champion Cameron Mason hoping for rain at Cyclo-cross World Championships
British national champion says patience will be the key in what’s expected to be a fast race in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands
-
Jumbo-Visma DS: There are some big talents coming out of Britain
The WorldTour team sees great potential in the current crop of British riders
-
From Grand Tour victories to gold medals: The nine best signings of 2022
We look back at the signings that made the biggest impacts during this year's season
-
'I remember the crowds more than anything': Tom Pidcock recalls his Alpe d'Huez Tour de France stage win
Our male rider of the year, Tom Pidcock, talks us through the highs and lows of his 2022 campaign
-
Watch: Jumbo-Visma 2023 team launch
Stream the Dutch super team's presentation
-
Wout van Aert moots building gravel world championships into 2023 programme
Belgian rider says gravel racing has a ‘great future’ as he considers worlds participation next year
-
As Cristiano Ronaldo puts the boot in, Jumbo-Visma talk to Manchester United about tactics and managing egos
The Dutch team’s senior sports director has spoken to Manchester United’s manager for sporting advice
-
Primož Roglič says rehabilitation from shoulder surgery ‘going as planned’ ahead of 2023 season
Slovenian had surgery in October in attempt to fix repeated shoulder dislocations ahead of new season
-
Changing of the guard: Seven top cyclists who have retired in 2022
Vincenzo Nibali, Alejandro Valverde and Tom Dumoulin have all called time on their careers this year
