Jonas Vingegaard has confirmed he will not compete at this year’s world championships in Rwanda. Speaking at a press conference ahead of the Vuelta a España, the Danish rider said the decision was based on timing and the need to be fully fresh.
“We have decided not to go. It doesn’t really fit into the plans,” Vingegaard told TV2, adding that he still plans to compete at the European championships later in the season. “You have to be completely fresh to go to the worlds this year. It takes a lot, and I don’t know how I’ll come out of the Vuelta, so we decided it was best not to go.”
Vingegaard, who is one of the favourites for this year’s Vuelta, has prepared extensively despite a minor setback with illness following the Tour de France. “It has been the best possible preparation for me,” he said of his training around Annecy.
The rider also confirmed he will skip other autumn races, including Il Lombardia. Reflecting on the 2023 Vuelta, where he and teammates Sepp Kuss and Primož Roglič swept the podium, Vingegaard said: “Everyone on the team can be proud… I hope I don’t get sick this year, so I can be there from the start this time.”
Team Visma-Lease a Bike directeur sportif Grischa Niermann reiterated the focus on winning the Vuelta, while Vingegaard’s family will remain in Denmark during the race to allow him full focus.
The Dane’s withdrawal adds to a whole list of stars opting not to race. That includes his countryman Mads Pedersen, Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert and Puck Pieterse. His own national team is also not sending juniors or under-23 riders. In fact, they are also skipping the time trials, only sending elites to the road race.
The news comes a few days after former Cofidis pro Stéphane Rossetto said the former Tour de France champ didn’t stand a chance against Tadej Pogačar, anyway.