“I can learn from him. Jonas has a lot of experience” – Jorgen Nordhagen steps into Jonas Vingegaard’s shadow as Visma begin next-generation shift

The original plan for Jorgen Nordhagen’s 2026 season was clear. The UAE Tour was meant to be the first race in which he would line up alongside Jonas Vingegaard, beginning a year designed around learning directly from Team Visma | Lease a Bike’s established GC leader. Vingegaard’s withdrawal from the race has delayed that debut pairing, but not the thinking behind it.

Speaking to WielerFlits, Nordhagen explained that racing alongside Vingegaard sits at the heart of how Visma have structured his season. “This year I will also race more with him,” he said.

“The idea was that we would do the UAE Tour together and then later the Volta a Catalunya," he added. "That way I can learn from him. Jonas has a lot of experience.”

That proximity, Nordhagen stressed, goes beyond simple presence in the same race. “With him in the race, we have a clear strategy and a clear role,” he continued. “It motivates me to see how Vingegaard approaches things. That, combined with races where I get opportunities for myself.”

Nordhagen’s exposure to Vingegaard did not begin this season. Last year, the Norwegian was repeatedly placed in the same room as the Dane during training camps, a deliberate decision by Visma to accelerate learning through observation.

“That was done so I could learn from him,” Nordhagen explained. “This year, that continues more in the races themselves.”

How that looks on the road remains flexible. Nordhagen made clear that his role will depend on both his condition and how each race unfolds. “That depends on myself, how I feel at that moment and how the race develops,” he said. “If we go for stage wins, that offers opportunities to race openly.”

At the same time, he acknowledged where hierarchy remains clear. “Jonas is the leader,” Nordhagen said. “Maybe we then have to control the race. But if other teams do that, I hope to stay with Jonas for as long as possible.”

Visma’s intentions are also visible in Nordhagen’s programme. His focus in 2026 is almost exclusively on stage racing, with the classics left firmly for the future. “This season I will only ride stage races,” he explained. “I really enjoy the classics, but that is something for later.”

The possible exceptions underline how selective the approach is. “The only exceptions this year might be the European Championships and the World Championships,” he added.

That structure reflects how Visma see Nordhagen’s long-term development, particularly in races that reward sustained climbing rather than repeated explosive efforts.

Among the key objectives of Nordhagen’s season are the Tour de Romandie and a projected debut at the Vuelta a Espana. In Spain, Visma are expected to focus on stage wins and jerseys, with experienced leaders already identified.

“We have a very strong team there,” Nordhagen said. “Stevie is also riding. We are approaching it openly. If I am in good form, there will also be good learning opportunities for me.”

At the same time, he was careful to underline the uncertainty that still surrounds any Grand Tour selection. “A lot can still happen before then,” he said. “The selection might also change. If you are not good, three weeks can become a real ordeal.”

If selected, Nordhagen expects freedom rather than pressure. “The first time riding for a classification will be tough,” he admitted. “Finishing somewhere between tenth and fifteenth would already be extremely good.”

That ambition comes with realism. “If you have one bad day, you can also change your goal during the race,” he said. “It is, above all, a great opportunity to discover a Grand Tour. I have freedom and no stress around it.”

Nordhagen has been open about what he sees as the biggest unknown in his development. “My biggest challenge will be racing for three weeks in a row,” he said. “Last year I didn’t ride many long stage races.”

He pointed out that only the Tour de Romandie and the Tour of Guangxi offered him an extended WorldTour experience in 2025. “Those were the only WorldTour stage races longer than six days that I rode,” he explained.

Still, the preparation is familiar. “I do know the build-up to the Vuelta a little,” he said. “Last year, I was also at altitude for the Tour de l’Avenir. But I just take it day by day and see how it goes.”

Conditions, rather than expectations, are his focus. “Given the difficulty of the parcours and the heat, I simply need to make sure I am optimally prepared,” Nordhagen added.

Alongside his WorldTour programme, Nordhagen remains part of Visma’s White Jersey Group, ensuring he continues to race for victories when opportunities arise.

“That’s part of staying in the game,” he said. “Statistics show that if you don’t win for a few years, you forget how to do it.”

If results do not come at the highest level, Visma have left space elsewhere. “If it doesn’t work at the top level, I still have a few smaller races on my calendar,” Nordhagen explained.

For now, he is not rushing to define where his ceiling lies. “Somewhere there is a limit,” he said. “I hope to get as close to it as possible. But I am very curious to see how this year goes.”