Skjelmose to lead Danish squad at Rwanda World Championships
Denmark has named Lidl-Trek's Mattias Skjelmose as team captain for the upcoming UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda, heading an eight-rider men's squad.
The Danish Cycling Union confirmed the full line-up for the championships in Kigali, Rwanda, which begin on September 21, with Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard notably absent after declining selection for the event.
Michael Valgren, selected alongside fellow EF Education-Easy Post rider Mikkel Honoré, expressed confidence in Skjelmose's leadership despite recent setbacks for the 24-year-old.
"I believe that with all the misfortunes Mattias has faced thus far, he will go out and show the world who he is. He has a whole team behind him. I expect he'll arrive in peak form," Valgren told TV 2 Sport.
The men's eight-rider roster is completed by a strong Jayco contingent featuring Anders Foldager and Christopher Juul-Jensen (both currently racing at the Vuelta a España), alongside Asbjørn Hellemose. Anthon Charmig (Astana) and Casper Pedersen (Soudal-QuickStep) round out the selection.
Denmark's men will tackle a challenging 267.5km course with 5,475m of climbing on Sunday, September 28, with Skjelmose looking to improve on his DNF from his last effort in the world championships in Zürich, 2024
For Valgren, the national team atmosphere provides special motivation. "Competing at the World Championships is always a significant goal due to the camaraderie within the team," he said, highlighting the importance of teamwork in their pursuit of victory.
The women's team faces an even steeper challenge with just Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (CANYON//SRAM) and Solbjørk Anderson (Uno-X Mobility) selected for the 164.5km women's road race on September 27, which includes 3,350m of elevation gain.
Denmark women's national coach Mette Andersen acknowledged the numerical disadvantage but remained optimistic about their chances.
"The route in Rwanda is hilly and demanding, and we realise that competing with just two riders will be a challenge. However, if we hit the right moment, we have the riders and the courage to seize the chance to aim for a strong result," Andersen said.
