"Mom didn't raise a coward" - Mattias Skjelmose back in action week after his painful Maryland crash

The 2025 season of Mattias Skjelmose is one big rollercoaster of emotions. The 24-year-old Dane was off to a great start to the year with strong build-up races and a massive victory at the Amstel Gold Race where he outsprinted even the last two world champions Tadej Pogacar and Remco Evenepoel. At the Canadian classics in Quebec and Montreal, the Lidl-Trek rider hopes to again compete with the best.

But in the very next race, La Fleche Wallonne, Skjelmose went down and although nothing was broken, he took two months to again compete for victory. And then another blow came at the Tour de France where he dealt with an infection for a long time in the run-up, only to be taken out of the race by road furniture in second week.

Skjelmose was probably not on the list of biggest favourites to triumph in the Maryland Cycling Classic last Saturday. But the American semi-classic serves as a great platform to get ready for the much better suited races in Canada this week, hence no reason to not give it a go. However Skjelmose's race ended rather abruptly in a slippery corner on city cobbles just 30 kilometers into the race. With a pain-filled grimace, Skjelmose tried to continue, but soon understood the race was over.

In an extensive interview with TV2 Sport, 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 coward,' so we're ready to race again on Friday," he said, referring to the GP Québec where a star-filled startlist including the likes of Tadej Pogacar, Wout van Aert or Biniam Girmay will aim to succeed.

That's also great news towards the World Championships in two weeks from now. With Denmark's superstars Jonas Vingegaard (currently leading Vuelta a Espana) and Mads Pedersen (focusing on European Championships ITT) not travelling to Kigali, the responsibility for a result falls onto Skjelmose's shoulders.

And the Dane, knowing how he was brought up by his mom, won't settle for less than a podium result. "We're going there to compete for medals, and we think that's realistic. Of course, we want to become world champions – everyone does."

In his way will stand, just like in Canada, the invincible Slovenian phenomenon. And Skjelmose is well aware that in order to triumph over Pogacar who will aditionally enjoy the support of the likes of Primoz Roglic, a lot will have to happen. "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."