At the irpress conference, LottoNL-Jumbo explained the tactical plan for the Tour de France. The Dutch WorldTour team starts with two leaders, two climbers in a free role and five riders in a support role. However, Sep Vanmarcke will get his opportunity in stage 4 with the cobbles.

Wilco Kelderman and Robert Gesink are the two leaders. They will have a protected role which means that they can save as much energy as possible. Laurens ten Dam and Steven Kruijswijk are the two climbers in the roster and have a free role. They don't have to stay with the leaders but will receive no protection from the five domestiques. 

"Laurens and Steven should try to lose as little time as possible, but if they lose ten minutes, it is no disaster," said team leader Nico Verhoeven according to WielerFlits. "It could give them more chances for a stage victory later in the Tour or give Kruijswijk the chance to go for the mountains jersey."

After the team time trial to Plumelec (stage nine), the team will make initial assessment. Those who are in contention for a good GC, will be given a leadership role. It may be several riders. Ten Dam and Kruijswijk will only get that role if they have not lost too much time.

Verhoeven stressed that this is only an alternative plan.

"The main objective is and remains a good GC for Gesink and Kelderman, but in the Tour you never know. You saw that three years ago when we had lost all the leaders after the big crash in the stage to Metz. You should always consider different scenarios. For every problem we have a solution."

Bram Tankink is the road captain of LottoNL-Jumbo. He will start his ninth Tour de France and the fourteenth grand tour in his career. Tankink has the task to monitor the tactical plan. He will try to make sure that the tactics from the morning meeting are followed. He has to guide his teammates Tom Leezer, Jos van Emden, Paul Martens and Sep Vanmarcke. The latter will go for his own success in the stage to Cambrai. 

"Sep is one of the best riders on the cobbles and on that day he has a free role. For the GC riders, it is important to survive that day as best as possible."