Danes Michael Mørkøv and Alex Rasmussen have decided to set aside their ambitions on the track to focus on the road. Last month Saxo Bank boss Bjarne Riis said that both riders would need to soon make a choice their career paths.
“The issue is very, very simple and the conditions are applicable to both Alex Rasmussen and Michael Mørkøv, since I also believe that the latter may evolve into an important component in the big races which are so important for us in the first part of the season,” Riis told Politiken.dk.
Mørkøv has now made up his mind telling TV2, “Road cycling at the ProTour level requires so much attention that I have to throttle down the track and concentrate 100 percent on the road.”
According to Politiken.dk, Rasmussen had already decided to do the same.
Riis said he didn’t have a problem with the pair riding the track in the winter months, but the World Championships were a problem since they interfere with the build-up for the spring Classics.
Danish track coach, Lars Bonde, said the team will now have to lower its ambitions since it will be missing two medal contenders, but was optimistic knowing that there will be plenty of younger riders ready to take their places.
Mørkøv will be a part of Saxo Bank’s team at Giro d’Italia which starts this Saturday in Amsterdam.