The 26-year-old Mitchelton-Scott rider's main focus for the second half of the year will be the Giro d'Italia in October.

Mitchelton-Scott revealed its plans for the Grand Tour events this week, with Haig to be held back to support Simon Yates in the team's bid to win the general classification at the Giro d'Italia.

"The focus for us at the Giro d'Italia will be to support Simon Yates as best as possible, to help him achieve the optimal result we can as a team and ultimately try to win the race,'' Mitchelton-Scott head sports director Matt White said.

"For me, the Giro d'Italia is the most physically demanding Grand Tour, so having a strong team around you certainly makes a difference. The team we will send will be a deep one and I'm confident Simon will have great support across all facets of racing.

"There will be only a few riders who will double up with the Tour De France/Giro combo this year and there certainly won't be any general classification riders at both. This will have an impact on the make-up of the field on the start line in Sicily.

"I am also very curious to see how the weather affects the race. In the normal May timeslot the threat of average weather is always lingering, especially in the high mountains, but we could see less erratic conditions in October.

"The extra month will also give riders a chance to do more racing coming in, so it will mirror a more traditional Grand Tour build up."

Haig rode impressively in last year's Tour de France and finished 38th overall.

He rode in the Giro d'Italia in 2018 where he finished 36th overall.

Mitchelton-Scott won four stages of last year's Tour de France and the team will take a similarly aggressive approach this year.

11 riders have been named in Mitchelton-Scott's extended squad for the Tour de France, including Aussie Alex Edmondson.

"After the success of last year, we want to chase stage wins at the Tour de France. We rode an aggressive style of racing last year and we want to continue in that vein this year,'' White said.

"We're reconning certain stages now. The difference this year, starting in Southern France, is that it's a tough first week climbing-wise and it's not just for the sprinters.

"I still think it'll be hard for breaks to succeed in that first week but by the time we exit the Pyrenees on stage 10, that's where it'll be more aggressive and there'll be more chances for breakaways to go to the line because you'll have your first selection in the general classification sorted.

"The stacked general classification field can affect stage opportunities, but it can also create opportunities.

"It's no secret the strongest squads are Team Ineos and Lotto-Jumbo, but once the general classification is stabilised, there'll still be opportunities because no one wants to control the Tour de France for 20 days; you just have to pick the right moments.

"In general, we know the guys have been training well in this period so we know more or less where they are at, but now they need to convert that training into race condition with a limited race program.

"It will be the equivalent of starting back racing after a major injury, with the lockdown period and different mental challenges that had to be dealt with.

"I am happy with where the guys are at currently, but we will make our final selection decisions based on how guys adapt back to competition."

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.