Last year, he won the time trials at the junior road world championships.
Cycling: Road World Championships 2.30pm, BBC2 The men's road race from Qatar.
The 28-year-old three-times road world champion, who won last year's race, is recovering from injury.
Mark Cavendish has withdrawn from the Great Britain team for the road world championships because of a shoulder injury.
Thor Hushovd became Norway's first road world champion yesterday, powering clear of a mass sprint to edge out Denmark's Matti Breschel in a dramatic finish.
The Dutch rider, who now has three road world titles and two Olympic gold medals, is one of the world's greatest sportswomen.
It means Simon Yates was unable to add a road world title to the track one he took in Minsk earlier this year.
Sutton said: "It made sense for me to ask Sir Dave to attend the Road World Championships as obviously the road is his focus and full-time role.
The Olympic pursuit gold medallist Joanna Rowsell has criticised British Cycling for not having entered a rider in the women's individual time trial at the Road World Championships.
Villumsen, born in Denmark, this week won silver in the cycling time trial at the Road World Championships in, ironically, Copenhagen.
Froome's withdrawal could have repercussions for Great Britain's hopes in the Road World Championships in Richmond, Virginia at the end of this month.
