Just like fellow Dutchman Tom Dumoulin, Robert Gesink has a tough choice to make when it comes to deciding what Grand Tour he will ride in 2016. 

The LottoNL-Jumbo rider has to factor in a hard course to the Olympics together with a hilly and climber-orientated Tour route, as well as Giro route that is also tough but plays a little more to time triallists, but it starts in Holland. 

“It’s pretty hard [the route] but you expect that. It’s the Tour de France. There’s one day less of climbing and a bit more time trialing compared to this year,” he told Cyclingnews.

“I need to look more at the profiles for the Tour and then see what the plans will be. It’s also an Olympic year so there’s been some talk about not doing GC and maybe going for stages. It’s a bit early and I don’t know what my plans are yet.”

Gisnk hasn’t ridden the Giro since he failed to finish the race in 2013, which was his only participation, but he knows from the 2015 Tour how special it is to start a Grand Tour at home.

“For a Dutch rider, having a Grand Tour in your country, and with it going through the area where I grew up, that’s interesting as well. It’s a difficult choice but as I noticed last year the only race it’s all about is the Tour. You can be perfect in the Giro but of course the Tour is the biggest race. Of course I want to be there in France next year as well.”