Maximilian Schachmann admitted that he is in talks with several teams about a possible move in 2021, but with the Tour de France and the Classics as the foundation of his season, he wants to resume racing before making a decision.

Schachmann is one of the top riders whose contract expires at the end of 2020. After spending his first two years as a professional with Deceuninck-QuickStep, he shined in the colors of German team Bora-Hansgrohe, winning three Basque stages and the German road race title in 2019, Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, where he finished in the top five.

He started 2020 even better with a second place overall in the Volta ao Algarve and a win in Paris-Nice.

"First of all, it's a special situation for all of us. We were fortunate to have a good season and now we are having good talks with different teams," Schachmann told reporters, including Cycling News, from the team's high altitude camp in Austria on Tuesday.

"It's a new situation for everyone, for the players and for the coach. Usually the season has a deadline, but now we are racing until November. We want to get back to racing, give it our best, and go from there."

Schachmann was originally scheduled to compete in the Giro d'Italia, the Vuelta a España, and the Ardennes Classics, but as he confirmed on Tuesday, his 2020 schedule has changed completely.

He will ride the Tour de France in August and September and skip the Giro d'Italia in order to ride the Classics in October. In addition to the familiar hilly terrain of the Ardennes, he will also debut in the Tour de Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.

"I had a big influence on this decision," Schachmann said. 'With so many overlapping races, you can't really compare the original season with the new one. It would not have been possible under the original plan. I am happy to have the freedom to decide and I think we have the best possible plan for the new season."

Schachmann heads to the Tour de France with a team that includes GC contender Emmanuel Buchmann, who finished fourth overall last year, and sprinter Peter Sagan, who will be looking for his eighth green jersey.

Schachmann has the freedom to aim for stage wins in the intermediate mountains, but the Tour is also a test of his potential as a future Grand Tour contender.

"In my opinion and in the team's opinion, it's something we have to figure out," he said of his GC credentials.

"I've demonstrated my ability in different situations, but I still need to improve my climbing skills. The most important thing is how I perform over the three weeks, which is really unpredictable. You never know how your body will react, especially after the 14th day, until you actually do it. Last year I intended to do that, but unfortunately I fell down.

As for the Classics, Schachmann is definitely one of the top contenders for Liège-Bastogne-Liège based on his podium finish last year.

The new calendar, coupled with Sagan's absence from the Giro d'Italia, has opened the door to a potential race for the German all-rounder.

"For a rider like me, Flanders is easier to ride because of the small hills. There are hard cobblestones, but the focus is not only on the cobblestones.

"Paris-Roubaix is a pretty big challenge, but with this year's calendar it is possible to test it, so I will try. Hopefully it will work out and if not, it won't."