Vingegaard’s shock early exit at European Championships leaves Danish coach still stunned

“I almost fell out of the car when I saw Jonas drifting back through the convoy 100 kilometers into the race,” Mørkøv recalled on the Café Eddy podcast. What made the moment even more surprising was that it wasn’t the big names tearing up the field, but some of Tadej Pogačar’s Slovenian teammates, riders from what Mørkøv described as “a lower level on paper,” who were setting the pace at the front.

For Vingegaard, it was simply a day that never came together. “I had hoped for more, but sometimes you just don’t have the day, and today I didn’t,” he told afterwards. “Maybe it’s because of the heavy schedule, maybe the form isn’t there. I don’t really know. But it definitely wasn’t my day.”

His early exit quickly sparked debate in Denmark. Former pro Michael Rasmussen was among the first to criticise his performance, suggesting the Dane had misjudged his condition. Others defended him, pointing to the weight of a long and demanding season.

Mørkøv, for his part, stood by the decision to select him. “We’re talking about a man who wins the Vuelta a España. Who wouldn’t want him on their team for the Europeans? Jonas told me he felt good before the race. It’s true that recovery after both the Vuelta and the Tour takes time, but I was aware of that from the start.”

For a rider used to the rhythm of a Grand Tour, the intensity of one-day racing still requires adjustment. Yet Vingegaard remained calm and reflective. “It’s not that I’m losing faith,” he said. “It was more to see how I would react and to represent Denmark. If I prepare properly, I can be up there in these races too.”

Mørkøv saw the same quiet determination. “I saw a very, very disappointed Jonas after the race,” he said. “If nothing else, I can only hope he’ll be so fired up that next time he rides for Denmark, there’ll be something to prove.”

The race in the Drôme-Ardèche marked the end of Vingegaard’s 2025 season. In the weeks since, his focus has already turned to 2026, where he is weighing an ambitious Giro–Tour double and a possible appearance at the World Championships in Montréal. For the Dane, it would be another chance to wear national colors and rewrite the memory of the European Championships.