He competed, as an amateur, in the individual road race and team time trial events at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
In the 1978 UCI Road World Championships Jørgen Marcussen created an upset by winning a bronze medal,[3] behind Gerrie Knetemann and Francesco Moser.
He also managed to finish 4th overall in the 1981 Vuelta a España,[4] which was the best result by a Dane in a Grand tour at the time.
It was a feat that was not expected and not surpassed until Bjarne Riis came 3rd in the 1995 Tour de France.
Jørgen Marcussen is married to Olympic cyclist Karina Skibby.