With the activity temporarily stopped, we face with Michael Morkov A hot topic. These are days of great upheaval in Danish cycling, shaken by the closure of the national MTB team: stop to federal funds and above all the summary dismissal of coach Mads BoedkerIt was the Danish federation itself that communicated it, warning all the national teams (names of a certain weight in the off-road scene, including people who are only partially used to the road like the multiple world champion Albert Withen Philipsen) who would have had to pay for their own activities and international trips out of their own pockets (or rather, with the support of their clubs), including for the title matches.
The news had shaken the environment, with numerous protests not only from the fat tire world and not only from the cycling one. The Federation then backtracked, reaching an agreement with the company Ceramic Speed for new funds, thus being able to rehire Boedker and guarantee the basic activity. But clearly There was a lot of noise, as well as implications for all of Danish cycling., even on the road. Ultimately we are talking about one of the leading movements of the current moment, the one that with vingegaard e Pedersen It is practically one of the few real alternatives to the domain of pogacar.
Michael Morkov This year he has taken on the role of street city and does not shy away from tackling an certainly thorny topic, starting from an analysis of the season that had brought more than a few smiles: «I think it was fantastic. Probably one of the best seasons we've ever had in the pros, with so many wins. Having Jonas Vingegaard and Mads Pedersen ranked second and third in the world is really impressive."
The Danish business is based almost entirely on the Elite Program: how does it work?
We technicians are called upon to manage the activity by focusing almost entirely on the title tests. This is because we have a limited schedule and a limited budget, we don't have many activities. We're therefore called upon to make do with this, but it must also be said that the general calendar doesn't leave much room, the riders are always busy with their teams.
In recent weeks, there's been talk of financial problems for the Danish national mountain bike team. Did these problems also affect the road team?
Of course, it's all within the same federation. I've been following the whole story with great concern, knowing the key players personally. The problem is much bigger, it doesn't just concern mountain biking. Funding for track, road, and BMX has been cut for years, and the results we're able to achieve, for example with the pursuit quartet, are truly extraordinary. So, obviously, everything is very limited and we don't have many resources.
How is your work structured during the season? Are there training camps, and does the national team wear its uniform to competitions?
"I'm a coach for both the elite and the under-23s," Morkov replies, "so we're focusing our efforts, including financially, on this category. This season we've competed in three Nations Cup events with the national team and then participated in Danish UCI races like the Herning GP. We were present at the first edition of the Copenhagen Sprint, which was a WorldTour race and then at the Tour of Denmark. All this, of course, in addition to the title races for both categories. It was a significant effort, but it was essential to be there; we can't limit ourselves to the European and World Championships.
Does the Danish Federation, like other sports federations, receive state support as is the case in Italy through the National Olympic Committee?
Of course, and this is actually our main source of income – explains Morkov – which comes from the federation and primarily from the government. But unfortunately, unlike other countries, Denmark is not supporting the world of sport with great resources.I don't know how it works in your country, but the funds made available have been practically the same for the last 10 or 15 years. There is no directly proportional compensation based on results achieved, in cycling or in any other sport, and this weighs heavily. Compared to our competitors, I think we are far behind in terms of resources.
Let's try to end on a note of optimism: Vingegaard raced in the European Championships this year, do you hope to have him at the World Championships next year?
Absolutely. I hope to succeed because, as a city manager, I obviously have a great interest in having all the talented riders participate in the World Championships, where the youngest riders can gain important experience and showcase themselves to the rest of world cycling, but where even the great champions can shine and fight for medals. And even more important, of course, is that the championships always provide strong motivation throughout the season. So the priority is to have all the best riders. It's a shame that we couldn't participate with our best team this year, I will try my best to stay within the budget. so that we can also bring some talented riders to the world championships.
What are your hopes for the Danish cycling movement in 2026?
First of all, to continue to develop young riders. We have a lot of interesting players between the under 23s and the under 19s. And I think one of my most important duties for my role is to help these young riders in their first steps before becoming professionalsAnd then, of course, I sincerely hope that Mads and Jonas, like Skjelmose, can maintain their very high international level and continue to achieve great victories with these three riders.
Morkov, your friend and rival, Elia Viviani, is at the end of his career. He's saying goodbye to racing at the Six Days of Ghent. What do you think?
It's actually a little sad that his career is ending because I always enjoy following Elia. I spoke to him the other day and told him that Some of my best years as a cyclist were spent in the team with him, where we worked very well together at Quick StepHe's a dear friend of mine, and I'll miss watching him race, especially watching him on the track. Although I think we'll meet often, given our respective roles if he joins the Italian federation.
