"When people call me the new Jonas Vingegaard, they don't know Jonas' level" - Norwegian talent Jorgen Nordhagen shoots down Vingegaard comparisons

Jorgen Nordhagen is emerging as one of the most exciting young prospects at Team Visma | Lease a Bike, and 2025 could be the year he truly makes his mark. The 20 year old Norwegian has already shown glimpses of his talent in the under-23 ranks, finishing third at Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23 in 2024 and sixth in the World Junior Road Race Championships in 2023.

Now, as he transitions fully to the WorldTour level, he faces the challenge of adapting to elite racing while still finding his place in one of the sport’s most dominant teams.

Over the weekend, Nordhagen made his Strade Bianche debut, leading the Visma squad in a race that saw Tadej Pogacar claim his third victory in Siena. Finishing 85th may not have made headlines, but simply completing the race was an achievement in itself given the circumstances. His early-season plans were derailed when illness forced him to miss his scheduled debut at the Tour of Oman in last month.

"At least I'm healthy again now, although I'm not in my best shape. That's how it goes, in Oman I really got a bad case of the flu, with eight days of fever and I was out for ten days," he told In de Leiderstrui.

While the setback affected his preparation, Nordhagen remains optimistic. Rather than returning home after Strade Bianche, he will now train in Spain to rebuild his endurance before tackling Coppi e Bartali.

"Luckily it was early in the season and I didn't have any setbacks afterwards," he says matter-of-factly. "So I was able to train well again and kick off my season in Strade Bianche. After that I was supposed to go home, but because of my illness I'm going to Spain to prepare for Coppi e Bartali. I have to build up volume there, to get back in shape as quickly as possible.

“Because I'm really far from my normal level now. Ten days of training towards Strade Bianche wasn't much, but I'm making rapid progress. I miss that explosiveness, it goes better when it's going hard for a long time and everyone is tired."

Nordhagen's sporting background makes his rise in cycling even more intriguing. A former skier, he only recently transitioned fully to road racing, and this winter marked his first without significant time on the slopes. The change took some getting used to, but he still follows the skiing world closely.

"I may have been on skis five or ten times, training with friends at home. It was different, although I'm still in the business. I'm following the World Championships in Norway closely and at times like that you think: I would have liked to have been there.

“You feel how big skiing is in Norway, but I'm happy with the choices I made. But if I hadn't been given this opportunity in cycling, I would definitely still have been skiing."

While he is still finding his feet in professional cycling, Nordhagen benefits from a degree of freedom within Visma | Lease a Bike, something that would not be possible if Wout van Aert were racing more frequently this spring. Without a clear leader in some races, he has been given opportunities to develop at his own pace.

"Luckily we don't have Wout van Aert in the team, so I can ride in a fairly free role. We don't feel any pressure, so it's a good start in a way. I can figure it all out for myself and find the feeling. I like gravel, I'm not afraid of that. It will be more the speed in the peloton that I have to watch out for."

His transition to full-time cycling has also meant adjusting to a completely different lifestyle. No longer balancing school and skiing, he has embraced the structure and focus that professional cycling demands.

"The winter was very different, because I can remember that it was more hectic during my time at secondary school, combining school and skiing. Now we got up every day at 08:30, had a leisurely breakfast and then got on the bike. It's a more relaxed life and I like that."

Although many aspects of his career have changed, he remains grounded by familiar elements, including working with the same coach. However, stepping up to the WorldTour has brought new experiences, from racing with a team radio to adapting to life on the team bus.

"It's not that I had to get used to it that much," he says. "Because I kept the same coach. I'm riding a different bike now and with different teammates, but otherwise it's the same as last year. The race will be a lot different, with the radio, racing with those guys, the team bus... I'm looking forward to that. Last year we also had a good connection in the training team, but the races really made us closer."

Despite being surrounded by some of the biggest names in cycling, Nordhagen has not been overawed by the Visma | Lease a Bike environment. He has settled in well and has been pleased to find an open, welcoming team dynamic.

"It's not like anyone really surprised me in the WorldTour team. They're all nice guys to hang out with and there are no groups or fixed seats at the table. There are big personalities in the team, but you don't really notice that."

Unlike many of his peers, Nordhagen prefers to remain disconnected from social media and outside opinions. While his father and brother keep up with cycling news, he prefers to focus on his own journey rather than external narratives.

"I don't follow everything anyway, my father and brother do," he continues with a smile. "Twitter is an important place for cycling news, but I don't have an account there. I don't follow it, I'm not interested in what's happening around me at all.

“As long as I have the right approach, that's the most important thing. In Norway, the media attention isn't that big anyway, so other people can say what they think. If you're from Belgium, that's probably different, haha!"

As a promising young rider in one of the sport’s most dominant teams, comparisons are inevitable. Some have already suggested that he could follow in Jonas Vingegaard’s footsteps, but Nordhagen is quick to downplay such claims.

"When people call me the new Jonas Vingegaard, they don't know Jonas' level. He's so great. I've seen his numbers and know how he trains, so that's going to be a huge step to take. Everything has to go well, so I'm taking my time. I'm not going to say that I'm the new Jonas, in any case."