Jumbo-Visma have signed up highly-rated teenager and first-year junior Jørgen Nordhagen on a multi-year deal, as they continue to invest in ever-younger riders and build for the long-term future.
The 17-year-old Norwegian, who combines racing with cross-country skiing, has impressed at junior level this season and will move on to Jumbo-Visma’s development team in 2024 before heading to the WorldTour on a three-year contract in 2025.
Jumbo-Visma are one of several teams signing talented junior riders and helping them turn professional while still teenagers. Juan Ayuso joined UAE Team Emirates from the junior ranks as did the USA’s Quinn Simmons after winning the junior world title in 2019. Remco Evenepoel famously joined QuickStep aged 18 after winning both the junior time trial and road race world title in 2018.
This year, Nordhagen has taken second places at the GP Rüebliland stage race and the European Championships junior road race as well as third places at the Course de la Paix and the LVM Saarland Trofeo.
He’s the current Norwegian junior time trial champion and also holds two national cross-country skiing titles.
Nordhagen might not be joining Jumbo-Visma for three seasons but the WorldTour team has already made a number of signings for 2023 as they look to repeat their Tour de France and Classics success.
Wilco Kelderman joins from Bora-Hansgrohe to strengthen their GC squad alongside Jan Tratnik (Bahrain Victorious) and Attila Valter (Groupama-FDJ), while Dylan van Baarle (Ineos Grenadiers) bolsters their Classics team and neo-pro Thomas Gloag is a future stage racing prospect.
Nordhagen is the latest long-term signing for Jumbo-Visma, with fellow Norwegian Johannes Staune-Mittet set to step-up to WorldTour level in 2024, while Ireland’s
Archie Ryan will have a leading role at the the Jumbo-Visma development team in 2023 after a successful 2022 and a professional victory at the Tour of Slovakia.
“Here, I get the time and room to grow as a person and become a pro rider,” Nordhagen said.
“That has always been my dream, and it will come true in a few years. I’m really looking forward to it. Because I have already decided to transfer to Jumbo-Visma after my junior season, I can continue to develop in peace and quiet and focus on my sporting goals.
“I think the team and I make a strong match because, based on my first impressions, the team and I have the same mindset. It’s also good to meet my fellow countrymen Tobias Foss, Per Strand Hagenes,…
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