Danish cyclist Mattias Skjelmose is back in the news after his surprise withdrawal from the Tour of Guangxi with back problems, amid an atmosphere already charged by controversial statements and questionable decisions within the Lidl-Trek team.
Before the start of the competition in China, Skjelmose publicly stated that his participation had not been a personal choice, but a decision imposed by the team, despite having suffered physical ailments at Il Lombardia. These statements soon generated controversy, especially after his recent skeptical comments regarding the addition of Spaniard Juan Ayuso to the team from 2026 onwards.
However, Kim Andersen, the team’s sports director and the man primarily responsible for the cyclist’s calendar, has come out against the rumors to deny any kind of retaliation towards Skjelmose. “There’s been a lot written about us forcing him to go to China. I don’t know where that came from, but the information is misinterpreted,” Andersen told feltet.dk.
The director was clear that the decision to compete in the Tour of Guangxi was consensual between the two and taken after Skjelmose’s early departure from the Tour de France. “If he had followed the original calendar, with the Dauphiné and the Tour, his season would have ended in Lombardy. Guangxi was not planned from the start,” explained Andersen.
The Dane started the Asian race well and even reported feeling fine after the first stage. However, his back discomfort intensified, forcing him to abandon the competition on Thursday, frustrating the team’s expectations. “It’s a pity he had to withdraw, because I’m convinced that with the form he had, he would have finished among the top of the overall standings,” Andersen lamented.
Despite the abandonment, Skjelmose will remain in China until the conclusion of the Tour this Sunday, after which he will join a team training camp with other riders who will be part of Lidl-Trek in 2026. A clear sign that, despite the stresses and setbacks, the team’s focus is already on next season.
Tense context and uncertain future
The recent friction within the team adds to an inconsistent season for Skjelmose, who started the year as one of the great promises of Danish cycling. His public questioning of the arrival of Ayuso (considered one of the most promising talents in the peloton) was interpreted by some as a gesture of insecurity in the face of internal changes within the team.
With the season coming to an end, all eyes are on how Lidl-Trek will manage the coexistence of its stars in 2026 and whether Skjelmose will manage to recover his best version, both physically and emotionally, to remain as one of the key pieces of the project.
Mattias Skjelmose is one of the leaders of Lidl-Trek.