Mattias Skjelmose suffers major setback in the U.S., shares update ahead of World Championships

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.

In an extensive interview with TV2, Skjelmose provided a reassuring update. "Physically, I'm doing better than I had feared. I went for a short walk and then I said to myself: “Mom didn't raise a b*tch,” so we're ready to race again on Friday," he said, referring to the GP de Québec.

Despite the crash, Skjelmose's ambition remains undiminished. "We're going there to compete for medals, and we think that's realistic. Of course, we want to become world champions – everyone does."

Whether or not they become world champions depends on one factor for many: “Tadej Pogacar, and that just takes a lot. A lot has to go our way, and probably something has to go his way too to make it possible,” says Skjelmose.

As a result, the Lidl-Trek rider is tempering expectations. “We're going there for a podium place, so a medal would also be very satisfying,” said Skjelmose, who is the designated leader in Vingegaard's absence. “That puts me under pressure, but it's also a pressure that I think I'm mature enough to handle. Pressure is a privilege.”