Dumoulin confirms Giro-Tour double bid for 2019

Paris - Dutch cyclist Tom Dumoulin will again race both the Giro d'Italia and the Tour de France in 2019 after coming second to Team SKY pair Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas respectively at the two events last season.

Alongside the SKY duo Dumoulin is seen by many as one of the world's stand out cyclists, he won the Giro in 2017 and is known to have a fondness for the Italian event, which takes place in May.

"I was concentrated on the Tour in 2018, as was my team (Sunweb)," Dumoulin told journalists at a presser in Berlin to present the 2019 team and programme.

"But this Giro route looks very interesting, while the Tour route this year seems extremely hard," explained the 2017 world time trial champion.

"As I totally love the Giro, I'm absolutely delighted with the decision," said Dumoulin.