Mattias Skjelmose Jensen (born 26 September 2000) is a Danish professional cyclist who rides for

UCI WorldTeam A UCI WorldTeam (2015–present), previously UCI ProTeam (2005–2014), is the term used by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to name a cycling team of the highest category in professional road cycling, the UCI World Tour or UCI ProTour ...

. A promising youth rider, Skjelmose finished in top positions in junior categories of major races, and won the

Tour du Pays de Vaud The Tour du Pays de Vaud is a junior (ages 17-18) multi-day cycling race held annually in Switzerland. It has been part of the UCI Junior Nations' Cup since 2015. Winners References External links

* Cycle races in Switzerland Recurring sp ...

in 2018. Shortly after, he had a setback after receiving a ten-month suspension due to a doping test revealing traces of the performance-enhancing drugs originating from dietary supplements. He returned to racing in 2019, and initially joined

UCI Continental The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions which were introduced in 2005 by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to expand cycling around the world. The five circuits (representing the continents of Africa, the ...

team Leopard TOGT Pro Cycling before turning professional in 2021 with

Trek-Segafredo, after riding for the latter as a stagiare since 2020. He experienced a major breakthrough in 2023, finishing second behind

Tadej Pogačar Tadej Pogačar (; born 21 September 1998) is a Slovenian cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . He won the 2020 and 2021 editions of the Tour de France, winning three different jerseys during each Tour, a feat unseen in nearly four deca ...

La Flèche Wallonne La Flèche Wallonne (, French for "The Walloon Arrow") is a men's professional cycle road race held in April each year in Wallonia, Belgium. The first of two Belgian Ardennes classics, La Flèche Wallonne is today normally held mid-week betw ...

, and winning the

Tour de Suisse The Tour de Suisse ( en, Tour of Switzerland) is an annual road cycling stage race. Raced over eight days, the event covers two weekends in June, and along with the Critérium du Dauphiné, it is considered a proving ground for the Tour de France ...

Career

Junior career

Skjelmose was born in

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( or .; da, København ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a proper population of around 815.000 in the last quarter of 2022; and some 1.370,000 in the urban area; and the wider Copenhagen metropolitan ar ...

, Denmark, and grew up on

Amager Amager ( or, especially among older speakers, ) in the Øresund is Denmark's most densely populated island, with more than 212,000 inhabitants (January 2021) a small appendage to Zealand. The protected natural area of ''Naturpark Amager'' (includi ...

. He started cycling at local club Amager Cykle Ring, where he rode between 2012 and 2016. Skjelmose finished second at the 2017

Danish National Road Race Championships The Danish National Road Race Championships were created in 1987. Men U23 Women See also *Danish National Time Trial Championships *National Road Cycling Championships National road cycling championships are held annually by host natio ...

junior category. At the

Peace Race Juniors The Peace Race Juniors, officially known as the Course de la Paix Juniors, is a junior (ages 17-18) multi-day cycling race held annually in the Czech Republic. It is part of the UCI Junior Nations' Cup, and is the junior version of the Peace Race ...

in 2018, he finished second behind

Remco Evenepoel Remco Evenepoel (born 25 January 2000) is a Belgian cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . He is the son of Patrick Evenepoel, a former racing cyclist who won the 1993 Grand Prix de Wallonie. Remco Evenepoel started his sport career i ...

. The same year he finished third at the

Paris–Roubaix Juniors Paris–Roubaix Juniors (or Le Pavé de Roubaix) is a single-day road bicycle race held annually in April in northern France for junior cyclists (aged 17 and 18) ahead of the senior Paris–Roubaix classic race. It is organised by the Vélo-Club d ...

. On 26 May 2018, Skjelmose won an

individual time trial An individual time trial (ITT) is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock (in French: ''contre la montre'' – literally "against the watch", in Italian: ''tappa a cronometro'' "stopwatch stage"). There are also track-b ...

in the

* Cycle races in Switzerland Recurring sp ...

, and later that same day, he also finished 22nd in a regular road stage. The following day, he concluded by winning the overall classification of the Swiss junior stage race.

2018 doping case

On 26 May 2018, during the

* Cycle races in Switzerland Recurring sp ...

, a doping test conducted on Skjelmose revealed traces of the substance

methylhexanamine Methylhexanamine (also known as methylhexamine, 1,3-dimethylamylamine, 1,3-DMAA, dimethylamylamine, and DMAA; trade names Forthane and Geranamine) is an indirect sympathomimetic drug invented and developed by Eli Lilly and Company and marketed as ...

, a performance-enhancing drug prohibited during competitions. He claims that it originated from one of the dietary supplements he had taken. After the case was processed by the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF), he was sentenced to a ten-month suspension by the

Union Cycliste Internationale The ''Union Cycliste Internationale'' (UCI; ; en, International Cycling Union) is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland. The UCI issues racing ...

(UCI) for violating anti-doping regulations. He initiated the suspension on 7 July 2018, and the suspension lasted until 6 May 2019. Skjelmose was only 17 years old at the time of the positive doping test. Therefore, the Danish Cycling Federation (DCU) did not expect to see his name or the verdict in the media, as they had previously been informed by the UCI that the verdict would not be made public.

Professional career

In 2020, Skjelmose initially joined the

team Leopard TOGT Pro Cycling in the senior category and later became a trainee for the

Trek-Segafredo towards the end of the season. He was subsequently offered a professional contract for the seasons starting in 2021. In his first season with Trek, he finished sixth overall in the

UAE Tour The UAE Tour ( ar, جولة الإمارات) is a road cycling stage race in the United Arab Emirates. It was first held in 2019 as part of the UCI World Tour. It was created as a result of the merging of the Abu Dhabi Tour and the Dubai Tour. Hi ...

, a

UCI World Tour The UCI WorldTour (2009–2010: ''UCI World Ranking'') is the premier men's elite road cycling tour, sitting above the UCI ProSeries and various regional UCI Continental Circuits. It refers to both the tour of 38 events and, until 2019, an annual ...

stage race. In the

Tour of Norway The Tour of Norway is a road bicycle race held annually in Norway. It is considered as a successor to the stage race Ringerike GP, which is now a one-day race. It was started in 2011 as a result of the heightened interest in cycling in Norway, ma ...

, he finished seventh in the general classification and won the young rider classification. At the beginning of the 2022 season, he finished second on the final stage of the

Tour de la Provence The Tour de la Provence is an early-season Road bicycle racing#Stage races, bicycle stage race in the Provence region of France. It is organized by southern French newspaper La Provence, which serves as the race's title sponsor for its first three ...

, a mountain finish, which propelled him to third place overall and earned him the title of the best young rider. That same season, he selected for his first

Grand Tour The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tuto ...

, as he was named in the startlist for the Giro d'Italia. He achieved his first pro victories in the

Tour de Luxembourg The Tour de Luxembourg is an annual stage race in professional road bicycle racing held in Luxembourg. The Tour de Luxembourg is classified as a 2.Pro race, the highest rating below the World Tour, by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), the ...

, where he won a stage and the overall classification.

2023

On 19 April 2023, Skjelmose finished in second place at

, at the top of the

Mur de Huy The Mur de Huy ( en, Wall of Huy) is a high hill located in Huy, Wallonia, Belgium. It is also known as ''le Chemin des Chapelles'' ( en, The Path of the Chapels) because of the seven chapels along its route. This climb is famous for being part ...

, just behind

. In June 2023, he achieved his first victories in a UCI World Tour event by winning stage 3 in

Villars-sur-Ollon Villars-sur-Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Description Geography and skiing network Villars overlooks the Rhône valley from an altitude of . Th ...

, as well as the overall classification of the

, in front of

Juan Ayuso Juan Ayuso Pesquera (born 16 September 2002) is a Spanish road cyclist, who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . In August 2021, Ayuso joined UCI WorldTeam from , having signed a five-year contract with the team. Major results ;2019 : National ...

and

world champion A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

. In June 2023, he was named in Trek-Lidl's startlist for the

Tour de France The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...

, and was seen as a wildcard for the overall classification. His performances in the 2023 season were praised by

Lance Armstrong Lance Edward Armstrong (''né'' Gunderson; born September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road bicycle racing, road racing cyclist. Regarded as a sports icon for winning the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 Tour de ...

: "If you're talking all day long about Vingegaard and Pogačar, who's number three... boy, I feel like he's gonna start trickling into the top."

Major results

;2017 : 1st Mountains classification,

Course de la Paix Juniors The Peace Race Juniors, officially known as the Course de la Paix Juniors, is a junior (ages 17-18) multi-day cycling race held annually in the Czech Republic. It is part of the UCI Junior Nations' Cup, and is the junior version of the Peace Race ...

: 2nd Road race, National Junior Road Championships : 5th Overall Internationale Niedersachsen-Rundfahrt der Junioren ;2018 : 1st Overall

* Cycle races in Switzerland Recurring sp ...

::1st Stage 3b (

ITT ITT may refer to: Communication * Infantry-Tank Telephone, a device allowing infantrymen to speak to the occupants of armoured vehicles. Mathematics *Intuitionistic type theory, other name of Martin-Löf Type Theory *Intensional type theory B ...

) : 2nd Overall

: 3rd

;2019 : 3rd

Fyen Rundt Fyen Rundt is a professional single-day cycling race held annually in Denmark. It is part of the UCI Europe Tour The UCI Continental Circuits are a series of road bicycle racing competitions which were introduced in 2005 by the Union Cycliste In ...

: 4th

Time trial In many racing sports, an athlete (or occasionally a team of athletes) will compete in a time trial against the clock to secure the fastest time. The format of a time trial can vary, but usually follow a format where each athlete or team sets off at ...

, National Under-23 Road Championships ;2021 : 5th Overall

Tour de l'Ain Tour de l'Ain, also known as the Prix de l'Amitié, is an annual professional cycling stage race held in eastern France. G.P. de l'Amitié The first edition of the race was in 1970, as the G.P. de l'Amitié (Friendship G.P.). It was held over fo ...

: 6th Overall

: 7th Overall

::1st Young rider classification : 8th Overall

Danmark Rundt Danmark Rundt is a Danish stage race for professional road bicycle racers organized as a part of the UCI Continental Circuits. It is currently sponsored by the Danish national postal agency, PostNord, and the race is therefore also known as PostN ...

;2022 (2 pro wins) : 1st Overall

::1st Young rider classification ::1st Stage 4 (

) : 2nd Overall

::1st Points classification ::1st Young rider classification : 3rd

, National Road Championships : 3rd Overall

::1st Young rider classification : 3rd Overall

: 3rd Overall

Tour de Wallonie The Tour de Wallonie is a stage race cycling race on the UCI Europe Tour. It runs in Wallonia, the French-speaking part of Belgium in the end of July. Between 1974 and 1995 it was reserved to amateurs. Since 2005, the race has been organized as a ...

: 5th Overall

Route d'Occitanie The Route d'Occitanie is a road bicycle race with 4 stages held annually in Southern France. It was first held in 1977 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. It is usually held a week before the Tour de France ...

: 8th

Clásica de San Sebastián The Donostia-Donostia Klasikoa — Clásica San Sebastián-San Sebastián (San Sebastián Classic) is a one-day professional men's bicycle road race in northern Spain that has been held every summer since 1981 in San Sebastián. It is the mo ...

: 10th Road race,

UCI Road World Championships The UCI Road World Championships are the annual world championships for bicycle road racing organized by the (UCI). The UCI Road World Championships consist of events for road race and individual time trial, and a mixed team relay. Events ...

;2023 (5) : National Road Championships ::1st MaillotDinamarca

Road race ::2nd

: 1st Overall

::1st Young rider classification ::1st Stage 3 : 2nd Overall

Étoile de Bessèges The Étoile de Bessèges () is an early-season five-day road bicycle racing stage race held annually around Bessèges, in the Gard department of the Languedoc-Roussillon region of France. First organized in 1971 as a one-day race, it became a sta ...

::1st Young rider classification ::1st Stage 4 : 2nd

: 3rd Faun-Ardèche Classic : 3rd

GP Miguel Induráin The Grand Prix Miguel Induráin ( es, Gran Premio Miguel Induráin), formerly the "Grand Prix Navarre" is a Spanish one-day road bicycle race. History The race was inaugurated in 1951, but was limited to local competition. It was rebranded after ...

: 5th Overall Tour des Alpes-Maritimes et du Var ::1st Points classification ::1st Stage 2 : 6th

La Drôme Classic La Drôme Classic ( en, The Drôme Classic) is an elite men's road bicycle racing event held annually in the Drôme region of France, held by the Ruoms Cyclisme Organisation. It is run as part of a weekend of racing in the south Ardèche, known ...

: 8th

Amstel Gold Race The Amstel Gold Race is an annual one-day classic road cycling race held in the province of Limburg, Netherlands. It traditionally marks the turning point of the spring classics, with the climbers and stage racers replacing the cobbled classics r ...

: 9th

Liège–Bastogne–Liège Liège–Bastogne–Liège, also known as ''La Doyenne'' ("The Old Lady"), is a one-day classic cycling race in Belgium.Cycling Weekly, UK, 13 March 1993 First run in 1892, it is the oldest of the five ''Monuments'' of the European professional r ...

General classification results timeline

Classics results timeline

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Skjelmose, Mattias 2000 births Living people Danish male cyclists Cyclists from Copenhagen Tour de Suisse stage winners Doping cases in cycling Danish sportspeople in doping cases People from Amager