Skjelmose’s emotional tribute after Amstel Gold Race victory: "You gave me strength"

It was the duel many cycling fans had dreamed of, with an outcome few could have predicted. Alongside superstars Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogacar, Skjelmose squeezed his wheel across the finish line in Berg en Terblijt a fraction of a second earlier. The official confirmation took a moment, but finally, there it was: the biggest victory of his still-young career.

He hasn't won much yet, but that was irrelevant after the Dutch cycling classic. Skjelmose was successful, and it was clear immediately after the race how much it meant to him. Just a day later, he reflected on his victory in a beautiful Instagram post.

The Danish rider recorded his first victory of the season, a triumph he never could have imagined in his wildest dreams. "I felt I had the legs to deliver a great result - but to cross the finish line first, and win the way I did… that was beyond what I even dared to hope for," said the winner via his personal channel. "This win means the world to me."

He looked back to his recent past, the setbacks, crashes, and having to end last season early due to a hernia. "It’s tough knowing you’re ready to deliver, yet held back again and again by bad luck," he continued in his post. He couldn't hold back his emotions because of all his sacrifices and the faith he had kept in himself. "That’s exactly what hit me yesterday - a wave of emotions I couldn’t hold back," he writes.

At the end of his story, he dedicates the victory to his recently deceased grandfather: "Grandpa, I know you were watching from above. You’ve always supported me, and I know you gave me that last bit of strength yesterday. This victory is for you." He thus looks back on an incredibly emotional victory for various reasons. He also thanks his teammates.

While Skjelmose also thanked his opponents Pogacar and Evenepoel and congratulated them on a great race, Evenepoel joked in a comment under the post that he would see his bonus for bringing Skjelmose back and letting him win. "I’ll be waiting for my bonus," said the two-time Olympic champion. He then congratulated the winner and added: "Enjoy this feeling."

Skjelmose also mentioned in his post that the Ardennes classics always suit him well and that he will have another chance to show his good form on Wednesday. He will fight for victory in La Flèche Wallonne with fellow leader Thibau Nys on behalf of his team, Lidl-Trek. They will be supported by Andrea Bagioli, Julien Bernard, Patrick Konrad, Jacopo Mosca, and Otto Vergaerde.