The quiet rise of Visma | Lease a Bike’s newest mastermind

For three weeks at the Vuelta a España, Mørkøv sat behind the wheel, radio in hand, connected to the voice of Jonas Vingegaard. It was an intense campaign, full of shifting strategies and long days on narrow Spanish roads. “I drive a lot during races, but only on the course,” he said in an interview with DR Sporten. “When I get home, I need a moment to readjust to normal driving and respecting the lines in the middle of the road.”

The rhythm of the race doesn’t fade easily. After weeks of analysing every climb and every split in the bunch, Mørkøv found it hard to switch off, and that same focus proved crucial during the Vuelta when Vingegaard’s illness forced him to rethink tactics on the move.

“Jonas had his eye on the Angliru stage,” he says. “But on the day, he told me he wasn’t feeling great, so we had to switch to a more defensive plan. It wasn’t about winning anymore, but about not losing time.”

It worked. Vingegaard stayed in contention and eventually won overall, completing a season in which Mørkøv also helped guide Simon Yates to victory at the Giro d’Italia. Two Grand Tours wins in one debut season. Not bad for someone who once doubted whether he belonged.

“Of course I wondered if Visma might be a bit too high a level for me,” he admits. “But I rolled up my sleeves and showed that it’s not about your résumé. When you succeed in both the Giro and the Vuelta, and when you help a young rider like Matthew Brennan achieve 12 wins in his first pro season, that gives you confidence.”

Confidence came slowly. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have to get used to giving instructions to Wout van Aert,” he says with a grin. “He’s one of the biggest stars in the sport, so the idea that I, with my modest CV, would give him advice on how to ride a finale, that took some getting used to.”

Inside Visma, his steady approach hasn’t gone unnoticed. “Within the team, I can feel more respect, or maybe that’s saying too much, but there’s no doubt that the results I’ve been part of this year have strengthened my position.”

He has also built a natural rapport with Vingegaard, something that extends beyond tactics. “It sounds banal, but it’s incredibly relaxing to have someone to speak Danish with,” he says. “It makes it easier to talk about other things than cycling, there’s a comfort in using your mother tongue.”

Whether the next step is the Tour de France remains to be seen, but Mørkøv isn’t in a hurry. “Right now, I’m just taking things as they come,” he says. “This is the dream job I never dreamed of, because I never thought it was possible.”