Tom Dumoulin is expected to return to Grand Tour racing in the 2022 Giro d'Italia, having won the Maglia Rosa in 2017.

The Jumbo-Visma rider was out of the sport for the first half of 2021 for personal reasons, but returned in the summer and won a silver medal in the time trial at the Tokyo Olympics. Dumoulin's season was interrupted by a broken wrist, but he has returned to training and has spoken of his desire to race a full season, including a Grand Tour.

L'Equipe suggested in an interview with the Dutchman on December 23 that Dumoulin would target the Giro d'Italia, and on Monday Il Corriere della Sera (open in new tab) in an interview with race director Mauro Veni He stated the same thing. On Tuesday, WielerFlits (opens in new tab) reported that various sources confirmed that Dumoulin is at the start of the Corsa Rosa in Budapest on Friday, May 6.

"What is certain is that I will continue to aim for the overall in certain races," Dumoulin told L'Equipe.

Jumbo-Visma was scheduled to confirm the main objectives and team leaders at a team presentation in Amsterdam on December 22; due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the presentation has been postponed until January 11.

Primoz Roglic will lead Jumbo-Visma's Tour de France challenge, with Jonas Vingegaard and Steven Kruijswijk also part of the scheduled team. They have already begun a reconnaissance run on the cobbled section of stage 5.

Dumoulin has not raced a Grand Tour since 2020. He finished seventh overall in the Tour de France, but abandoned during the Vuelta a España.

The 2022 Giro d'Italia will be Dumoulin's fifth time competing; he won the opening stage in his debut in 2016 and failed to finish after an impressive run on the pink stage, but won the 2017 event and was second overall in 2018 behind Chris Froome He finished in second place. Dumoulin also finished second overall in the 2018 Tour de France, but was forced to abandon the 2019 Giro after suffering a knee injury on stage 5.

The 2022 Giro features a time trial of just 26.3 km and seven mountain finishes. Dumoulin's overall rivals include Miguel Angel Lopez and Vincenzo Nibali (Astana Cazacustan), Mikel Landa (Bahrain Victorious), Richard Karapas and Tao Geoghegan Hart (Ineos Grenadiers), Giulio Ciccone ( Trek Segafredo), Simon Yates (Bike Exchange Jayco), and others are expected.