"He's empty and he's got some illness" - Lidl-Trek gradually gives up on a good result for Mattias Skjelmose
CyclingFriday, 11 September 2026 at 01:00
Mattias Skjelmose started the 2026 Vuelta a Espana with a big goal of finishing on the final podium. And especially after the abandon of Tadej Pogacar, the Dane would've liked to see himself in the mix for top placings, but instead he scrapes by at the bottom of overall top-10.
The 25-year-old Dane set out on a challenging task - to participate in GC battle at two Grand Tours in a single season. After a strong finish to the Tour de France where he took a solid 6th place overall, Skjelmose was ambitious for the Vuelta - but the race did not encounter him in a good spot.
Skjelmose has been losing time to other podium contenders since the very first mountain stages. And even in his strong discipline - time trial - Skjelmose is unable to turn the tides. In Monaco, he took a mere 40th place. And on Thursday, not only did he lose to Primoz Roglic and Enric Mas, but even to (at best) average time trialist Felix Gall to finish 28th.
Dealing with an illness
As things stand, Skjelmose is closer to finishing outside the top-10 than on the final podium... And his sports director Kim Andersen brought the news that a big offensive is more than likely not happening during last weekend.
"It was a big fight, that's for sure," he told TV 2 Sport about the time trial. "I was a little optimistic this morning but, after the reconnaissance, I wasn't so optimistic anymore. He's empty and he's got some illness, and that doesn't make it any better."
"It's only been the last three days that he's had a bit of a cold. We had hoped for an improvement until today, but he's not the same Skjelmose we saw in the Tour," admits Andersen.
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Mads Pedersen was already forced to drop out of the race with an illness while fellow Dane Matthias Norsgaard (dead-last in general classification by 34 minutes, almost five hours behind Enric Mas) visibly isn't fit either. Is Skjelmose perhaps dealing with the same ordeal?
"I hope not. I still hope he can [finish the race]. But I can't possibly say until tomorrow morning – whether it's worse or better. We have the doctor. He's here. We'll see. The doctor was a little optimistic, so now we'll see."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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