Jonas Vingegaard skips World Championships in Rwanda, and focuses on different goal; National coach Mørkøv explains: "There's no arguing about it"

The Dane initially seemed set to make his debut at the World Championships in Africa, but has now decided not to attend. “We have reviewed our plans. You need to be fresh to compete in the World Championships, and that demands a lot from a rider. I don't know how I will feel after the Vuelta, so I have decided not to go.”

Vingegaard is not ending his season after the Vuelta. “I'm going to go for the European Championships, which fits better into the schedule.” This year's European Championships will be held in France, in the Ardèche, on Sunday, October 5, one week after the World Championships. The Tour of Lombardy could also be an option, but when asked, Vingegaard said he had not yet made a decision.

National coach Michael Mørkøv told Danish newspaper B.T. a similar story. “Jonas is one of the best riders we have, so there's no arguing about that. But given Jonas' program with the Tour and the Vuelta and the required early departure for Africa, I assessed that it was best for him to focus on the European Championships,” said the former rider.

“I definitely think Jonas would rather be world champion than European champion,” Mørkøv admits. “But this year, there are both logistical and time-related challenges about the World Championships, so it makes more sense to have him in the race he believes in most. And that's the European Championships.”

“The World Championships are a bigger championship than the European Championships,” the national coach continues. “But the most important thing for me is that the rider believes in the assignment and the project, and that's why it will be the European Championships.” Denmark will therefore be counting on a different leader for the World Championships. “We have Mattias Skjelmose, and we will be racing for him.”