"We are missing a sheriff who controls everything" - Skjelmose predicts all hell might break loose in the Pogacar-less second half of Vuelta
CyclingMonday, 31 August 2026 at 23:00
The dynamics of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana have changed drastically over the past weekend, mainly due to Tadej Pogacar's abandon. Suddenly, many riders who have deep down already given on overall victory return into the mix, and Mattias Skjelmose would've hoped to be part of it.
However the ninth stage was a letdown for the Dane who could just about keep up with the best, and eventually crossed the line in 6th position, which is also where he finds himself in the overall standings by the end of first block.
But it also thanks to Pogacar's absence that Skjelmose now finds the racing much more exciting than before, opening up brand new tactical opportunities and race scenarios where anything might happen.
The ninth stage was a great example of that as non-stop attacks were rolled on Alto de Aitana with the new red jersey wearer Enric Mas coming out on top. But throughout the final 5 kilometers, a good ten riders could've won the stage with a bit of luck.
"You can really feel that Tadej is gone," the Lidl-Trek rider told TV 2 Sport after stage nine. "It is becoming extremely tactical, but that is completely fine by me."
Mattias Skjelmose crosses the line on stage 4 of the 2026 Vuelta a Espana
Race has became more tactical, but less hard
Skjelmose also goes on to point out that the general approach to racing is quite different. The pace throughout the stage slowed down for now, although riders have also started to grow confidence to attack again, now that no Slovenian phantom is on their tails.
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"The speed was relatively low all day. I think it is because we are missing a sheriff who can control everything," Skjelmose admitted after the ninth stage.
Although the racing on the final summit might have been even harder than usual because of the many attack attempts. "The last climb was obviously ridiculously hard, but apart from that it was not too bad."
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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