Tom Dumoulin (Team Sunweb) looks set to return to the Giro d'Italia in 2018 in an attempt to defend his title, snubbing the Tour de France in the process.
Reports in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf have suggested that both the rider and Team Sunweb have confirmed their intention to race the Giro next May.
The Dutch newspaper originally broke the news that Chris Froome (Team Sky) would also be riding the 2018 Giro, in an attempt at a historic Grand Tour triple.
Dumoulin's supposed ambition of retaining his pink jersey has, however, come in for criticism from his compatriots.
It has been 38 years since the Dutch celebrated a Tour yellow jersey with Joop Zoetemelk in 1980 and many, including Zoetemelk himself, have called for Dumoulin to cast his focus on the French race.
Presenting Dumoulin with a Dutch sports award, Zoetemelk told the rider, 'The Tour is still of a different order than the Giro. You have proven that you are ready now.'
Prior to the route announcements of both races, it was expected that the current time trial World Champion would be solely riding the Tour de France.
However, with the Giro offering more individual kilometres against the clock and the Tour featuring an unpredictable first week that includes the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix, it seems as if Dumoulin may have reached the decision to defend his Giro title.
The season is yet to have started, but it is becoming clearer as to who will be targeting what Grand Tours next season.
So far, Vincenzo Nibali (Bahrain-Merida), Nairo Quntana (Movistar), Richie Porte (BMC Racing), Romain Bardet (AG2R La Mondiale) and Dan Martin (UAE-Team Emirates) are among the riders planning to go to the Tour.
For the Giro, it is expected that Fabio Aru (UAE-Team Emirates), Miguel Angel Lopez (Astana), Esteban Chaves (Mitchelton-Scott) will be among those battling for pink.
Chris Froome and Thibaut Pinot (Groupama-FDJ) are two of a select number of riders who could attempt both races.