Magnus Cort wants Vingegaard at World Championship in Rwanda: "Sure he can perform well"

The road stage of the next World Championship has no less than nearly 5,500 meters in altitude, comparable to a queen's stage in a major tour. There is also a lot of climbing to do in the time trial. That should sound like music to Vingegaard's ears. Yet it remains to be seen whether the Dane will participate next year. After all, Vingegaard hardly ever rides one-day races. Until now, an eighth place in the 2021 Clásica San Sebastián is his best result in a one-day race of standing. At a lower level, he did win the Drôme Classic in 2022.

Vingegaard ended his season in August, partly due to a demanding season and the birth of his second child. This also stopped the World Championships in Zurich, which featured a problematic road race. Mattias Skjelmose found that very unfortunate, he told IDLProCycling.com at the time. "I would have loved to ride on one World Championship team with Jonas, but I hate that he is not here. But I understand his choice, and it is what it is. Let's hope we can race together sometime soon."

Skjelmose's wish may come true next year. Vingegaard and Skjelmose could form a dangerous duo on the challenging course in Rwanda. In conversation with Ekstra Bladet, Cort is already launching a cautious charm offensive to entice Vingegaard into participating in a World Championship. "It's always more fun the better your team is. And besides, it's a shame to do it without your perhaps best card." Although Vingegaard is not guaranteed success in one-day races, Cort says that it does not rule out a good World Championship result in advance. "Of course, it's different for him to ride one-day races. He focuses much on the GC, but I'm sure he can do well."

Vingegaard's only participation in the World Championships was in 2018. Then, he rode the road race as a U23. After that, the World Championship was not a priority for Vingegaard, who specialized as a GC rider and won the Tour de France twice. Cort, therefore, understands his compatriot's choice. "You have to choose something. Not many riders give up on the World Championship. Certainly not if they show themselves. But the Tour de France is so big, and being in his position greatly differs from my ambition of winning a stage. His situation is different, and it's good to choose for yourself; I respect that," Cort concluded.

Team manager at Visma | Lease a Bike Frans Maassen would also like to see Vingegaard at the World Championships, but not so much next year. Indeed, the former rider sees his rider going far at the 2026 World Championship in Montréal, so he said earlier. "I've just been to two races in Canada, and now I'm going to convince him that it's a perfect route for him and that he should go there."