Tejay Van Garderen will change his goals in 2017. According to CyclingTips, the BMC rider has decided to get his career back on track after the failed 2016 season by targeting the Giro d’Italia.

Van Garderen’s choice is not completely unexpected even though the American has never done the Italian grand tour. In recent months, BMC have done nothing to hide that Richie Porte will be the only leader of the team at the Tour de France and this has pushed van Garderen into the background. However, the decision is also motivated by the course which includes more time trialling than the Tour de France.

“I’ve done some good Tours in the past,” he told CyclingTips. “I feel like I need to keep trying. The Giro will be a new experience. I asked the team to keep me in mind for the Tour. I could go and support Richie, and play a Plan B role on the GC, whatever the team wants.”

Van Garderen has already planned how to get ready for the Giro. He will make his debut at the Tour of Oman and then do Tirreno-Adriatico, Volta a Catalunya and Tour de Romandie.