After nearly two months out of the peloton,
Mattias Skjelmose made a triumphant return to racing on Sunday afternoon, winning the first ever edition of the new climbing challenge, the
Andorra MoraBanc Clàssica.
"I was sick for a long time and missed the Dauphiné and Suisse, luckily I could do this race and now I think the shape is there for the Tour," Skjelmose reflected happily in his post-race interview afterwards, referencing what has been a difficult spell for the
Lidl-Trek leading Dane. "I was feeling good all day, and the guys did a great job. I then did my own pace and knew I had a good sprint."
This return to racing and more importantly, return to winning ways couldn't have come at a better time for Skjelmose either. Next month, the Dane is set to lead Lidl-Trek's general classification challenge at the 2025
Tour de France, so a strong demonstration of his climbing ability has given a renewed boost of confidence to the 24-year-old.