Deceuninck-QuickStep's Remi Cavagna told the French press that he will not be making his Tour de France debut this year, but will compete in the Giro d'Italia, targeting time trials and helping Remco Evenpoel in his Grand Tour debut.

"I'm one of the reserves, but I'm not going to race the Tour de France," the 24-year-old told French newspaper La Montagne from the team's training camp in the Italian Dolomites over the weekend.

"Starting the Tour is something I've wanted to do for a long time, and when they told me I wasn't going, I was obviously disappointed," Cavagna admitted. But I know that one day I will be able to go. It's not like this is my last year as a professional.

Cavagna also admitted that the route of this year's Giro (rescheduled for October 3-25) suits him as a ruler, and the 20-year-old teammate is targeting the three individual time trial stages of the Italian Grand Tour and ultimately a top overall finish, He said he will do what he can to help Remco Evenpoel.

"Young Lemko is going to see what he can do in his first Grand Tour. I'm going to try to help him, get into the breakaway, which is my goal, and save my energy for the most difficult stages in order to do well in the time trial."

Cavagna made his Grand Tour debut at the 2018 Giro and also won stage 19 (road stage) to Toledo at last year's Vuelta a España, finishing third in the other two stages, including the individual time trial on stage 10.

He followed that up with another strong performance at the start of the shortened 2020 season, winning the Ardèche Classic in late February before the competition was suspended due to a coronavirus outbreak.

The two-time French under-23 time trial champion, who also won a stage at last year's Tour of California, sees the Giro as a good opportunity to continue holding his own against the clock and try for another Grand Tour stage win.

The Dooslink-Quickstep squad for the 2020 Tour de France (August 29-September 20) has not yet been announced.