Can I specify the default option for an "asp-items" list directly in the .cshtml?

I have an ASP.Net Core form like this:

<div class="form-group" id="DW_Q30_div">
    <label>@Questions.Q30*</label>
    <select asp-for="Answers.Q30" asp-items="DropdownValues.DeployEnvironments"></select>
</div>

This is the corresponding Dropdown list:

public class DropdownValues
{
    public static List<SelectListItem> DeployEnvironments { get; } = new List<SelectListItem>
    {
        new SelectListItem { Value = "OnPremises", Text = "On Premises" },
        new SelectListItem { Value = "Cloud", Text = "Cloud" }
    };
    ...

Q: Is there any way I can specify the default item (for example, "Cloud" instead of "OnPremises") directly in the .cshtml markup itself?

As @LarryBud already commented change you code to this if you want select "Cloud" instead of "OnPremises:

public static List<SelectListItem> DeployEnvironments { get; } = new List<SelectListItem>
    {
        new SelectListItem { Value = "OnPremises", Text = "On Premises" },
        new SelectListItem { Value = "Cloud", Text = "Cloud" , Selected=true }
    };

for your edit you can use this code:

var defaultValue=...your value from db.
foreach(var item in DeployEnviroments)
{
if item.Value==defaultValue item.Selected=true;
}