The Danish Olympic Committee has introduced three of its chosen riders for this 12 months’s Olympic Video games in Paris, naming Lidl-Trek’s Mads Pedersen and Mattias Skjelmose to the staff of 4 that can compete within the street race.
The staff, chosen by the Danish Biking Union (DCU), may even embrace lead-out man Michael Mørkøv, who rides for Astana Qazaqstan, not just for his abilities in ushering sprinters to victory however as a result of he’s additionally on account of compete in observe biking occasions – an element distinctive to the Olympics which severely restrict the variety of athletes that may compete in every sport.
That leaves one remaining spot for the lads’s staff to be determined earlier than July.
Jonas Vingegaard, who scored nearly all of the factors that earned Denmark their 4 entries for Paris and expressed curiosity in driving, had a large setback this week when he crashed within the Itzulia Basque Nation on stage 4 and suffered damaged ribs, a punctured lung and damaged collarbone.
“I’ve instructed Anders [Lund] that I’m taken with driving. However he defined to me that it isn’t sure that I can be chosen, even when I wish to. I additionally perceive that effectively,” Vingegaard stated in November.
Nationwide coach Anders Lund considered the street route, which has a Spring Classics flavour with a brief however steep cobbled climb, with the intention to make the choice.
“I used to be in Paris final week to examine the route and was utterly blown away,” Lund stated in a press launch from the DCU. “There are many slim streets on the ultimate laps in Paris with a cobblestone climb as much as Montmartre shortly earlier than the end. That route is basically good for Mads, and I contemplate him one of many absolute favourites of the race.”
Skjelmose, at present main the Itzulia Basque Nation after 5 phases, is within the midst of a breakthrough season after ending fourth in Paris-Good and successful a stage.
“Mattias is simply creating on a regular basis,” Lund stated. “He’s good in stage races, however he additionally performs very well within the powerful one-day races. Amongst different issues, on the final two World Championships. He has to assist Mads, however Mattias additionally helps Mads by being a risk to the opposite nations’ favourites within the last.
“Along with being actually good within the street race, Mattias also can compete with the most effective on the earth within the time trial. The early choice permits Mattias to make an optimum preparation in order that he will be in prime type for the Olympics.”
Mørkøv, who along with Norman Lasse Leth gained the Madison on the Tokyo Olympics, would usually be on account of reprise that function in Paris. Nevertheless, the variety of allowed riders for the observe has been diminished for this 12 months’s Olympics. With a purpose to maintain all the foremost riders for the Workforce Pursuit and Omnium and be capable to area a staff within the Madison, Mørkøv is being formally entered as a street bike owner and will be ‘borrowed’ by the observe staff for the Madison underneath the principles.
“The collection of Michael relies on a consideration of the general Danish Olympic medal ambitions throughout the biking disciplines. However having stated that, Michael additionally has some actually good abilities on the street, which we’ll profit from in Paris,” Lund stated.
“On the final three championships on the street, Michael has accomplished exemplary help work for the Danish nationwide staff. Michael’s huge expertise and distinctive potential to pilot his captain gently by way of an extended street race will undoubtedly be invaluable to Mads Pedersen’s probabilities of successful the medal we dream of.”
The fourth and last rider for the lads’s street race is scheduled to be chosen in early June. Along with the 4 locations within the street race, Denmark has additionally secured two locations within the time trial. These two riders should be taken from the 4 who line up within the street race.
