Danish national coach reveals long-standing Jonas Vingegaard plan for brutal 2027 World Championships

Jonas Vingegaard may have missed this year's World Championships in Montréal, but Denmark's national coach Michael Mørkøv is already looking towards 2027. The two have discussed the possibility of targeting the championships in Haute-Savoie for several years, with a demanding course around Sallanches expected to favour the world's strongest climbers.

Vingegaard had initially hoped to represent Denmark in Montréal this September, only for his crash at the Tour de France to disrupt those plans.

"After the crash at the Tour de France, we were working towards the World Championships in Montréal. Unfortunately, he had to withdraw because of the crash," Mørkøv has told Eurosport Denmark.

His absence was particularly disappointing for the national coach, who had viewed the race as valuable preparation for next year's championship.

"I had hoped he would race the World Championships this year to gain the experience of competing at a Worlds ahead of next year," Mørkøv explained.

The 2027 World Championships will take place in Haute-Savoie, France, with the elite men's road race scheduled for August 29, just a month after the Tour de France. The route is among the toughest in recent World Championships history.

Starting and finishing in Sallanches, the riders will tackle a 13.3-kilometre circuit 20 times, covering approximately 265 kilometres and accumulating 5,700 metres of climbing.

The main obstacle is the Côte de Domancy, a 2.5-kilometre ascent averaging 9.4%, with sections reaching 16%. Its repeated inclusion is likely to make the race one of attrition, with little opportunity for riders to recover between efforts.

It is a climb steeped in cycling history. Bernard Hinault famously used the same ascent to launch his winning move at the 1980 World Championships, also held in Sallanches.

Vingegaard won the hilly time trial stage at the 2023 Tour de France that included the Côte de Domancy. 

Mørkøv believes the course could provide an ideal opportunity for Vingegaard.

"It will be a historically difficult championship, with 20 ascents of this 2.5-kilometre climb," he said.

The Danish coach revealed that the possibility of Vingegaard competing on the course was discussed long before the route was officially presented.

"We have talked about it, and I mentioned it to him several years ago when we knew it would be held there."

While few would question Vingegaard's ability on long climbs, his record in major one-day races remains limited.

His appearance at the 2025 European Championships in France offered a reminder that success in Grand Tours does not automatically translate into success in championship racing.

Having won the Vuelta a España just weeks earlier, Vingegaard arrived among the contenders alongside Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel but was no longer at his best. 

He struggled as the pace increased on the Saint-Romain-de-Lerps climb, losing contact with the favourites with 109 kilometres still to race.

He eventually abandoned, while Pogačar went on to claim the European title with a long solo attack. Afterwards, the Dane acknowledged that his preparation had been far from ideal, having struggled to recover from his Vuelta a España victory.

"I had hoped for more, but sometimes you don't have the day," he told Danish media.

Vingegaard revealed that it had taken him almost two weeks to resume proper training after the Vuelta, leaving little time to prepare for the championships. Still, he remained confident in his ability to compete in major one-day races.

"If I prepare properly, I can be up there in these races too," he said.

Vingegaard has yet to confirm his participation in the 2027 world championships but Mørkøv's comments suggest the World Championships have been part of the Dane's plans for some time, with the demanding course in Haute-Savoie providing plenty of incentive to make the trip.