Chris Froome feels the Vuelta a Espana represents a more realistic target for him in 2020, though concedes missing out on the Tour de France will be a "readjustment".
Team INEOS announced on Wednesday that four-time Tour de France winner Froome and 2018 champion Geraint Thomas had not been included in their squad for the first Grand Tour of the year, which will begin on August 29.
Froome, who will move to Israel Start-Up Nation next year, will instead target the Vuelta as Thomas leads INEOS' charge at the Giro d'Italia.
Reigning Tour champion Egan Bernal will spearhead the team's hunt for an eighth title in nine years and will be supported by debutant Richard Carapaz, who won the Giro last year.
The decision ends speculation over how INEOS would approach the Tour with a star-studded list of options.
Froome, 35, only returned to competitive racing in February after a horrific crash at the 2019 Criterium du Dauphine left him with multiple serious injuries.
While he will now have to wait until 2021 for his next chance to win a record-equalling fifth Tour, the Briton accepted his ongoing recovery meant the Vuelta option made sense.
"It's definitely a readjustment for me, moving the goalposts from the Tour de France to the Vuelta," said Froome.
"But I think, given where I've come from through the last year, I've had an incredible recovery from the big crash I had last year.
"I'm in a very fortunate position to be back racing now, but I'm not confident that I can really fulfil the necessary job that would be needed for me at this year's Tour de France.
"I think it's a lot more realistic targeting the Vuelta and gives me the chance to really get stuck into something that is deliverable.
"At the end of the day, people have to remember that I'm coming back from a horrendous crash last year where I fractured a lot of bones in my body. I'm still coming back to that full level of fitness at the moment."
All three Grand Tours will take place in quick succession after the coronavirus pandemic caused scheduling changes to the professional cycling calendar.
The Tour is scheduled to end on September 20, with the Giro taking place from October 3-25 and a shortened Vuelta scheduled for October 20-November 8.
Thomas will now look to join an elite group who have won different grand tours.
"It's nice to finally have a firm plan in place and to know exactly what I'm doing and try and get some kind of positive out of this year," he said.
"I've always enjoyed racing there - I love Italy, the fans and the food, obviously. It's a race I've always enjoyed anyway, so I'm certainly looking forward to going back and that is the plan now."