'My body has nothing left to give': Skjelmose withdraws from Denmark's Worlds squad after Vuelta illness

Mattias Skjelmose (Lidl-Trek) has withdrawn from the Danish squad for the World Championships in Montréal, Canada. 

The Lidl-Trek rider, who had been open about his struggles with illness during the final week of the Vuelta, confirmed to TV2 Sport ahead of stage 21 that he had informed national coach Michael Mørkøv of his decision to withdraw from the Worlds selection.

“It’s probably not healthy regarding the World Championships, but I informed Michael [Mørkøv] about an hour ago that I have to withdraw because my body has nothing left to give,” Skjelmose told TV2 Sport.

Skjelmose was set to lead the Danish team in Montréal alongside trade teammate Mads Pedersen, who abandoned the Vuelta ahead of stage 11 due to illness. 

Following his own illness, Skjelmose slipped from ninth to thirteenth overall on the penultimate stage, missing out on back-to-back Grand Tour top-ten finishes, after he ended sixth at the Tour de France in July.

"So, I need to get home and take a break, and I don't think I can give the national team what I ought to be able to give. Someone else needs to go in my place," Skjelmose said.

The 25-year-old has started four editions of the elite men’s road race and has finished in the top ten on two occasions including twelve months ago in Kigali, Rwanda, where he ended in fourth place. 

However, given how he is currently feeling, Skjelmose doesn’t believe a similar result is achievable in Montréal, hence his decision to withdraw.

"I love being part of the national team and have had some of the best experiences of my career there. But I also don't think it's fair to take a spot from another Dane who is in really good form," explained Skjelmose.

"So, I hope someone else has a good chance to deliver a strong performance," he added.

In Skjelmose’s absence, Mørkøv confirmed to TV2 Sport that Anthon Charmig (Uno-X Mobility) will step up to the eight-man selection for the elite men’s road race. 

Charmig recently finished third at the GP Industria & Artigianato in Italy on 6 September, won by Tom Pidcock (Pinarello-Q36.5), before travelling to Canada and finishing third at the GP Québec behind Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) and Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek). Earlier in the season, Charmig tasted victory from the breakaway on the second stage of the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

Alongside Charmig and team leader Pedersen, the Danish squad that is set to start the road race on 27 September includes Søren Kragh Andersen (Lidl-Trek), Kasper Asgreen (EF Education-EasyPost), Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates-XRG), Mikkel Frølich Honoré (EF Education-EasyPost), Andreas Kron (Uno-X Mobility), and Michael Valgren (EF Education-EasyPost).