Team Visma | Lease a Bike have made a concerted effort to prepare for the future ahead of 2025. One of the young talents expected to have big things coming is way, is 20-year-old Jorgen Nordhagen and in roommate Jonas Vingegaard, the Norwegian has the perfect role model to learn from.
“It’s wonderful to be with the team. We can finally begin, and I’m really looking forward to it. I already knew some of these guys from TV, but now I’m riding alongside them and can learn as much as possible from them,” Nordhagen says in quotes collected by IDL from Visma's press day ahead of the 2025 campaign. "Of course you look up to Jonas Vingegaard and Wout van Aert, because they’re the big stars. It’s been very impressive to watch them race in recent years, and now I’m on their team, which is really special. I want to learn as much as I can from them, but that also goes for several other guys—there’s always someone who can help."
As mentioned, Nordhagen and Vingegaard are set to roommates for the coming year, giving the Norwegian a perfect mentor in the form of his Danish team leader. “I’m rooming with Jonas, so I can always ask him questions. That’s good for me,” he explains. “One of the first things we talked about was how he felt when he joined the team. He was in a similar situation, so we discussed that. In a few years, he’s grown into one of the best GC riders.”
And given Visma's previous track record of bringing young talents through into the World Tour, Nordhagen is confident he's in the perfect place to develop his skills. “I feel like they want you to become as good as possible, and there’s no turning back," he says. "That’s a great mindset, and hopefully it will pay off.”
"There’s still a lot to learn. First, I want to build my foundation, then we’ll see what’s possible. Learning the system is important, so that’s my main focus for now. It’ll be my first year with the World Tour team, so I especially want to keep improving my endurance,” he adds. “I also want to learn as much as I can from my teammates. If I can earn my place in the World Tour, I’ll be satisfied. My schedule will be a mix of chasing my own opportunities and helping the team’s top riders, which is ideal. Winning would be nice, but learning is the most important thing.”
“To be honest, I don’t feel much pressure," Nordhagen concludes confidently. "I focus on myself and my development, and I put pressure on myself that way, but otherwise, it’s mainly about enjoying the racing and getting as good as possible.”