The Danish sports federation, Danmarks Idrætsforbund, has named the final cyclist for the Olympic road race. And it is not defending Tour De France champion, Jonas Vingegaard. Rather, it is UAE Team Emirates rider Mikkel Norsgaard Bjerg.
Mads Pedersen, Mattias Skjelmose, and Michael Mørkøv had already been selected. Although Vingegaard did hope to go, he also said back in November that he wouldn’t be surprised if he wasn’t selected.
Bjerg skipping Tour to be ready
“I am incredibly proud to be going to the Olympics. I have gone all in to make it. Since December, I have only been home for 14 days. Oherwise, I have just been racing and attending training camps. I chose to ride in the Giro d’Italia and skip the Tour de France to be completely ready for the Olympics. Therefore, I am also really relieved to be selected,” Bjerg said.
Usually, the 25-year-old is a highly valued domestique for Tadej Pogačar.
All in for Pedersen
In Paris, however, he will be a support rider for Mads Pedersen in the road race who is a favourite. The course has a few punchy climbs. That should suit Pedersen if it results in a large group or breakaway with his ferocious sprint.Bjerg and Skjelmose will represent Denmark in the time trial—a discipline in which he has was a triple under-23 world champion.
“Yes, I look forward to helping Mads. I am a domestique by trade and have specialized in that role. I know I can make a difference for the team,” he added. We have a strong Danish team. We need to show that we are ready to compete for medals in Paris. I am looking forward to the time trial. I have been working on time trials for 10 years. So I know what it takes to peak in that discipline.”
Vingegaard is amping up his training after a brutal crash in Spain in April. He is currently training at altitude to try and get to Tour de France-winning fitness
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