Why Skujins is the biggest cult hero in the peloton (and even more so after his Omloop performance against Van Aert and co)

Toms Skujins is known as a cult hero, and not without reason. Just take a look at his profile picture on social media or the type of messages he sends out to the world. Moreover, the now 32-year-old rider is also 'simply' a strong powerhouse on the bike, something that has become increasingly evident in recent weeks. A tribute to the hard rider from Sigulda!

June 16, 2023: In the municipality of Beveren in Belgium,Toms Skujins crossed the finish line at around 4:00 PM in the individual time trial of the Baloise Belgium Tour. He completed the 15 utterly flat kilometers in 17 minutes and 55 seconds, later good for twenty-first place. Afterwards, he took ample time for an interview with the author, though it felt more like a friendly chat. The amiable Skujins provided lengthy answers, asked questions in return, and brought a smile to both his and my face. Due to circumstances, the 'interview' wasn’t immediately used, resulting in it being shelved even longer (my mistake). Until now, as Skujins has continuously emerged as an increasingly serious contender in the one-day races over the past 8 months – that’s how long it’s been – thereby only adding more luster to his status as a cult hero, making that interview possibly even more fitting now!

Pace setter, attacker, realist, and promoter

So, let's return to that specifici Friday in June last year. Skujins had just completed a phenomenal Giro d'Italia. He managed to finish in the top ten from breakaways no fewer than five times, with a second place as his best result. He also dominated the intermediate sprints classification. "It was a fantastic Giro, although you always want more," he tells me in a parking lot near the town hall. "Everyone thinks you deserve more, but that's simply not how life works," says the realist in the rider from Lidl-Trek. "Sometimes someone deserves and wants a promotion at work but doesn’t get it. It's unfortunate, but you can't change it." Skujins also proves to be an excellent promoter for his homeland, Latvia. "Other riders sometimes ask me about it. Then I always enjoy telling them about the most beautiful things in Latvia. What I always mention is that the country is fifty percent forest. Plus, we have great beer and the views are magnificent."

Anyone reviewing his list of results will notice that Skujins, between the Giro and the Baloise Belgium Tour, participated in a gravel race in Finland. The outcome? A glorious victory, where he left seasoned gravel specialists like Jasper Ockeloen and Paul Voss well behind. Such a gravel race seems to perfectly suit the Skujins type: laid back, zigzagging through nature, and in an American style. With just a little imagination, Skujins fits right in with guys like Laurens ten Dam and Keegan Swenson (even more cult figures). "It was probably a one-off thing," he quickly clarifies, dispelling any doubts.

Will we see Skujins more often among gravel figures like Ten Dam and Swenson?

"I might keep doing it once a year. But my participation in Finland stemmed from having many friends and acquaintances in the organization. And also among the participants. It was more like a reunion than anything else. I don’t see myself appearing at the Gravel World Championships anytime soon." And probably not in races like Unbound, although he is clearly a fan of the American vibe (after all, he finished fifth in the Maryland Classic a few months later). "I always have an incredible amount of fun in North America. It's always enjoyable there. I’ve had many great times and have cherished memories from there."

Read more below the photo!

After the Belgian stage race, Skujins crowns himself as the Latvian national champion in time-trialling, and four days later, he secures third place in the road race. He has never been a prolific winner, although he does have twelve professional victories – including national titles – to his name. For instance, he won the Tre Valli Varesine in 2018. Moreover, he has won – there’s the North American connection again – three stages in the Tour of California. After the national championships, he continues to accumulate top finishes. And impressively so: sixth in the Clásica San Sebastián, fifth in the Circuito de Getxo, and eighth at the World Championship in Glasgow won by Mathieu van der Poel (coincidentally, my friends and I saw him several times after the finish, searching for his bus).

Skujins made it tough for Van Aert, Laporte, and Jorgenson (Visma | Lease a Bike)

A Vuelta appearance was not in the cards for Skujins, who had expressed in June his keen interest in participating. "I haven't taken part in the Vuelta since 2017. Moreover, I have never ridden two Grand Tours in one year throughout my career. That’s something I’d still like to do." However, he still notched up some impressive results in the autumn classics and finished thirteenth at the European Championships held in Drenthe.

And in 2024? Skujins does exactly the same. Essentially, he sticks to what he's good at: attacking and seeing where it leads. In Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, he was among the very best in the race. From a six-rider breakaway, he manages to significantly challenge a trio from Visma | Lease a Bike – Wout van Aert, Christophe Laporte, and Matteo Jorgenson. Skujins launches attack after attack, but also counters several. In the end, it was to no avail for the breakaway, but the cycling fans were treated to a thrilling spectacle. "He focused entirely on the Opening Weekend," Lidl-Trek team director Gregory Rast would later say to IDLProCycling.com. "For Toms, the upcoming classics will be important, especially when Mads Pedersen joins in." His next race is the Strade Bianche. There, he could well spring a surprise, or would it not be a surprise anymore?