Will Vingegaard make World Championship debut in Rwanda? "He may be the only one who can take on Pogacar"

Jonas Vingegaard has never competed in the red and white jersey of the Danish national team at a World Championship until now (as a pro). The two-time Tour winner has skipped previous editions, but 2025 might be the year he makes his World Championship debut. So says brand-new Danish national coach Michael Mørkøv, who recently interviewed the GC rider from Visma l Lease a Bike.

"One of my main tasks in the beginning was to have a conversation with Jonas. The message is that he is ready to ride the World Championship and has a good program working toward this. That is our starting point, and we continue to keep in touch," Mørkøv told B.T. 

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Michael Mørkøv as a rider

Vingegaard is the only one who can stop Pogacar 

So, there is no certainty yet for national coach Mørkøv. World Championship participation is simply not a high priority for many riders. "The fact is that the World Championship as a national team and as a championship always takes a somewhat secondary place after the activities of the pro teams. Visma pays him to perform on the tour and the other races he rides. So, a championship is always a kind of secondary income. And we have to accept that," says the Dane.

Nonetheless, the national coach sees Vingegaard increasingly interested in a World Championship adventure. "I feel that Jonas has reached a point in his career where he won the Tour and has already achieved many other things. But he hasn't yet been at the start of a World Championship on behalf of Denmark."

Mørkøv sees Vingegaard as a crucial rider for Denmark. "Of course, it would be hugely attractive for me as a national coach to have Jonas on the team and take him to a World Championship. He is, very specifically, perhaps the only one who can take on the reigning world champion (Tadej Pogačar, ed.)."

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Jonas Vingegaard

Vingegaard's unpretentious attitude receives praise

In his attempt to bring Vingegaard into the team, Mørkøv also wanted to determine if the rider had any specific wishes or expectations about his role on the national team. "He is too humble to make special demands or have big ideas about how everything should be organized around him," he said. "Jonas didn't have an elaborate plan about precisely how things should be on this and that day. On the contrary, the national coach appreciates that attitude enormously. 'He has a very modest attitude everyone honors: being modest within a national team."

Whether Vingegaard will debut for Denmark at the World Championships in Rwanda depends on the coming months. But first, the question is whether the event will go ahead at all. A civil war is raging in neighboring Congo, and Rwanda is actively supporting a rebel group. Some question whether Rwanda is responsible for hosting a World Championship in that country.

Although things are calm in Kigali, there is no guarantee that they will remain so eight months from now. There have already been fatal incidents in Rwanda, which only adds to the concerns. In addition, high costs also play a role: some countries, including the Netherlands, are leaving their junior teams at home as a result. Either way, it would be nice to see Vingegaard at the start of a World Championship sooner rather than later.

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