In May, Jonas Vingegaard won the Giro d’Italia with five stage wins and became the eighth rider to complete cycling’s Grand Tour set. In July, he crashed out of the Tour de France with a broken collarbone. Today he cannot say when he will race again.

Asked whether he would take the start line at the world championships in Montreal, Vingegaard offered no reassurance.

“I actually don’t know yet, it depends on how the collarbone reacts, and how it heals.”

On the injury itself, he was more upbeat.

Read also: Leboeuf picks Arsenal to defend the title but warns: 'Nobody can replace Saliba'

“It’s getting better, it’s not really bad anymore. I can use my arm now.”

The Dane also conceded that the year has worn him down.

“I needed a break after the Tour. It’s been a tough year and a tough bike race.”

The team is not promising anything

Vingegaard fractured his right collarbone roughly 20 kilometres from the finish of Stage 15 on 19 July, ending a Tour de France he had been riding in second overall behind Tadej Pogačar, who went on to win a fifth title. Surgery followed in Denmark two days later and, according to team manager Marc Reef, was uncomplicated.

Read also: 'One of the toughest decisions of my life': Bruno Guimaraes leaves Newcastle for Arsenal

“It went well. They did what they had to,” Reef said.

The rest of the season is another matter.

“It’s both possible that Vingegaard will get back on the bike this year, and also possible that he won’t.”

Visma-Lease a Bike will only set targets once they have seen how the collarbone responds in training. No comeback race has been placed on his calendar, and with the Vuelta a España starting on 22 August in Monaco, September is the earliest realistic window.

Read also: Antonelli in front, Verstappen sixth: Steiner has a theory for F1's youth takeover

Denmark still hopes for Montreal

The men’s road race at the world championships is on 27 September in Montreal, a heavy climbing course over long distance that favours a Grand Tour rider more than a classics man. Pogačar arrives in Canada chasing a third consecutive rainbow jersey.

Denmark would like Vingegaard on the same start line. His compatriot Mads Pedersen, no stranger to a broken collarbone himself, sent him a message this week.

“I hope we get to make use of him at the Worlds. I hope his collarbone heals enough, and I am speaking from experience here, Jonas: your collarbone will be healed by the time we race the Worlds.”

Il Lombardia in October is the other autumn target if Montreal comes too soon. Until the collarbone says otherwise, the calendar stays blank.

Read also: Ferrari rebuilt for Hamilton: The second-half plan to overturn Antonelli's 50-point lead

Read also: Payoff claim opens a second front for Infantino as UEFA weighs probe of his entire 16 years