Will Jonas Vingegaard compete in the EC? The organisers are hopeful

When the European Road Cycling Championships are held at the beginning of October, it will be with a view to a strong field on the challenging routes in the French regions of Ardèche and Drôme. 

The organisers have already confirmed that Filippo Ganna will take part, and they also expect to see Remco Evenepoel on the start list.

They now hope to attract even more of the world’s biggest names, including Jonas Vingegaard.

Vingegaard has previously enjoyed success in the area, winning the Faun-Drôme Classic in 2023, which makes him an obvious candidate for the hilly European Championship route. 

Organiser Guillaume Delpech says that riders such as Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar are at the top of the wish list, as their presence would raise the sporting level of the championship.

Strong field

One reason for the optimism is that this year’s European Championships do not clash with the Vuelta a España or the Canadian WorldTour races. 

This means that more of the best climbers have the opportunity to line up in France.

– For the first time in several years there are no other major races taking the best riders. That gives us hope that we can have a really strong field, where riders such as Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar can challenge stars like Filippo Ganna and Remco Evenepoel, says Delpech.

In the women’s event, Pauline Ferrand-Prévot is already confirmed, and the organisers are also hoping for participation from Lotte Kopecky and Demi Vollering.

Aiming to give the European Championships greater significance

The organisers want this year’s European Championships to help raise the status of the event. 

In recent years the championship has changed date on the calendar, which has made it less visible to both riders and fans.

With a demanding route, a strong field and the possibility of having stars such as Jonas Vingegaard on the start list, the organisers hope to create a European Championships that stands out as one of the big cycling races of the autumn.