Mattias Skjelmose ends speculation about his future with long-term Lidl-Trek contract extension

Mattias Skjelmose has signed a long-term contract extension with Lidl-Trek that runs until the end of 2028. Just last week at the Lidl-Trek media day in Spain, the 25-year-old stated that “For now I haven’t signed anything,” when asked about a reported contract extension, though that has now since been confirmed.

“Extending my contract with Lidl-Trek means everything to me,” said Skjelmose in an official Lidl-Trek statement. “I’ve said it a lot of times before, and I’ll probably say it many more times in the future. This Team is my family, I find myself at home, and I couldn’t see myself riding anywhere else."

It’s a significant boost for the team as Skjelmose has made a significant impact since joining as a stagiaire in 2020. The previous three seasons have seen the Dane finish 14th (2023), 19th (2024), and 21st (2025) in the UCI rankings, thus illustrating his value to the team.

“It’s been a super special journey. When I came into the Team, Vincenzo Nibali was the big star here, and now with Lidl, Trek and other huge sponsors the project has become so much bigger,” said Skjelmose. 

Along the way, Skjelmose has picked up 14 professional victories, winning the Tour de Suisse in 2023, before most notably outsprinting Tadej Pogačar and Remco Evenepoel to win the Amstel Gold Race in dramatic fashion. The Dane also finished 5th at the Vuelta a España in 2024, winning the youth classification in the process, confirming his ability to lead the team’s GC charge in a three-week race. 

All of this success has been possible due to a strong team environment according to the Dane. “The fact that our individual goals align with the team goals has always made us so powerful as a team.”

“We haven’t always had the biggest budget, but we always got the most out of every rider, and that’s mainly because we always find the ability to work for each other and help each other over-perform, as well as just being able to have a real team feeling. I’ve never spoken with someone who wouldn’t want to join this Team, and that’s all down to our team spirit.” 

“Mattias has grown into one of the pillars of our Team,” said Luca Guercilena, Lidl-Trek General Manager. “He has shown he can perform at the highest level, whether in one-day races or across three weeks, and that versatility is incredibly important for us.”

"Just as valuable is his mentality, he leads when required, but he is also willing to work for his teammates. Having Mattias committed for the coming seasons is key to our ambitions, and we’re excited to continue building with him as one of our leaders,” added Guercilena.

In 2026, Skjelmose is set to target Paris-Nice and Itzulia Basque Country, where he will be in the hunt for the GC. 

The Ardennes will follow, and he’ll return to the Amstel Gold Race as defending champion, before lining up for La Flèche Wallonne; Liège-Bastogne-Liège where he will race alongside new teammate Juan Ayuso. 

Skjelmose will return to the Tour de France after abandoning in the 2025 edition, where he is set to support Ayuso, before doubling up with the Vuelta a España as a target, hoping to emulate his performance in 2024.