After Jonas Vingegaard, Mattias Skjelmose also withdraws from the World Championships after the Vuelta

At the start of the Vuelta a España, there was a lot of talk about Lidl-Trek. The German team sent the Danish duo of Mads Pedersen and Mattias Skjelmose to the third Grand Tour of the year, but after the Tour de France, they were gradually running out of steam. Pedersen withdrew early, while Skjelmose did make it to the finish.

Skjelmose, who was in sixth place in the Tour, fell behind in the final days and ultimately finished thirteenth. He shared his story on Instagram after the final stage in Granada.

"You don't find out who your best teammates are when champagne is dripping from the ceiling. You find out who your best teammates are when things get tough. This Vuelta was anything but a smooth ride—it was mostly against us—but every day I ask the guys to keep believing in me,” said the Dane.

"It didn't end the way we wanted, but one thing is certain: I would go through all that hardship again tomorrow, as long as I have these guys by my side. I don’t know what the rest of the year will bring. For now, I’m taking some time to recover and look at everything from a different perspective.”

With that last sentence, Skjelmose also withdraws from the World Cycling Championships, where he and Pedersen were set to be the team leaders for the Danish squad. “I told Michael (Mørkøv, national team coach) about an hour ago that I have to pull out because my body just can’t take it anymore,” he confirmed to TV2.

"I need to go home to rest, and I don't think I can give the national team what I should be able to give. Someone else will take my place," said Skjelmose, who is the second big name to drop out after Jonas Vingegaard.

"I think it's fantastic to be part of the national team, and I've had some of the best experiences of my career there. But I also don't think it's fair to take a spot away from another Dane who's doing so well," says the No. 4 finisher at the previous World Championships in Rwanda. Anthon Charmig, who finished third in the Quebec Grand Prix just this Friday, will replace Skjelmose.