Huge setback for World Championship outsider Skjelmose in the United States

Skjelmose was the defending champion at the start of the 1. Pro race in the United States on Saturday after meticulous preparation. The leader of Lidl-Trek recently crossed the Atlantic to prepare with teammate Quinn Simmons for the big goals ahead: the Canadian races and, especially, the World Championships.

In Maryland, however, things went wrong early in the race for Skjelmose, who took a nasty crash on a cobbled section and had difficulty getting up and continuing. Sam Oomen waited for the team leader, but the Dane eventually left the race with his right arm hanging off his bike.

This is not Skjelmose's first crash this year. Earlier, he rode onto traffic islands in Paris-Nice and the Tour de France and crashed in the Flèche Wallonne. After the Tour, he had to undergo rehabilitation for a while after a nasty injury to his left arm, while he struggled with an infection for a long time before the French race.

The exact extent of the damage to Skjelmose, winner of the Amstel Gold Race, is not yet clear. In the absence of Jonas Vingegaard and Mads Pedersen, he is the clear leader for the Danes at the upcoming World Championships.