A completely hypothermic Mattias Skjelmose provided worrying images in the Flèche Wallonne on Wednesday. But the Dane from Lidl-Trek recovered quickly and has already explored Liège-Bastogne-Liège today. And he starts on Sunday with great ambitions. “I really believe that I can compete for the podium,” he sounds combatively.
There is no longer any trace of hypothermia in Mattias Skjelmose during a chat with the press, although the Dane regularly enjoys a hot cup of coffee in between. “It was the first time I was so cold,” Skjelmose looks back on Wednesday’s Flèche Wallonne.
The images were quite intense: the Dane was carried off his bike completely hypothermic. Skjelmose himself explains how it got to this point. “UAE Emirates turned on when the hail storm started. I wanted to follow, but that prevented me from putting on a jacket. At that point I was still feeling pretty good.”
But when Skjelmose finally got his jacket at the top of the Wall of Huy, it was already too late. “I was cold to the core, I couldn’t get warm anymore. When I got off at the second passage on the Wall I lost control of my body. That was very frightening.”
When I got off at the second passage on the Wall I lost control of my body. That was very scary.
Mattias Skjelmose
Despite the disturbing images, Skjelmose quickly recovered. “Thanks to our team doctor, who took very good care of me. He gave me things to warm up, such as hot drinks. Afterwards I felt better again, although my body felt as if I had ridden a monument.”
Should the “extreme weather protocol” have come into action? “I thought for a moment that they were going to stop the race. It looked so bad, because many boys were so cold that there was no way back. But after that it was responsible to race. You also saw that with the women .”
“My biggest mistake was not being prepared for the rain. The guys from Uno-X Pro Cycling Team, for example, were. They may have been a bit too warm at the start of the race, but that saved them at the end.”
I am happy that Tadej Pogacar is returning. The harder the race, the better for me.
Mattias Skjelmose
The lesson for Skjelmose: check the weather forecast more often. “I’ve done that about ten times today,” he laughs. These weather forecasts also forced Lidl – Trek to explore Liège-Bastogne-Liège today instead of Friday.
“Rain is forecast tomorrow and today it should remain dry. That’s why we went out today. We explored the last 95 kilometers, the zone where it really starts.”
In any case, yesterday’s incident has not affected Skjelmose’s confidence. “I felt very good in the Amstel. I am in my best shape ever,” assures the Dane. “I really believe that I can compete for the podium on Sunday. I am happy that Tadej Pogacar is returning. The harder the race, the better for me.”
Mattias Skjelmose suffered complete hypothermia during the Flèche Wallonne.
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2024-04-18 15:35:20
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