'Cycling is a relentless sport' – Skjelmose misses Paris-Nice podium challenge with stage 7 crash

Mattias Skjelmose has taken to social media to update on his health and reflect on his Paris-Nice crash after he was forced out of the race on Saturday's penultimate stage.

The Dane was lying in third position at 59 seconds down on race leader Matteo Jorgenson and potentially in contention to fight for the yellow jersey over the last two stages around Nice.

However, with 51km left of the truncated 109km mountain stage to Auron, he collided with a low divider kerb in the middle of the road and fell hard. After being tended to for some time, he was taken away in an ambulance, his Paris-Nice challenge over.

Skjelmose's Lidl-Trek team confirmed on Saturday evening that he had managed to avoid any fractures or serious injuries in the crash.

"Good news! Initial reports from the hospital informs us that there are no fractures for Skjelmose," the team announced in a social media post.

Skjelmose later made a post on Instagram to talk about the crash and its effect on him, calling cycling "a relentless sport" while detailing his injuries.

"The dream of a podium spot was snatched away from me when I crashed today with 50km to go," Skjelmose wrote.

"After some time in the hospital in Nice, I am now discharged. I’ve had stitches in my elbow, heavy blows to my right knee and hip, and an injury to my back. Therefore, I will also be checked by specialists when I return to Andorra in the coming week."

Skjelmose, who finished third on the summit finish at La Loge des Gardes and seventh on the short, sharp uphill at Berre l'Etang, is set to target the Ardennes Classics next month, with Itzulia Basque Country (April 7-12) next on the menu this spring having thankfully avoided any major injuries in the crash.

"Cycling is a relentless sport," he continued. "One day you feel great, the next everything can change in a split second. But you have to remember that the battles to overcome setbacks are just as important as the victory itself.

"In the end, cycling is like life itself – an unpredictable battle where sometimes you win and sometimes you learn to get up after falling. Now it’s about looking forward and recovering as soon as possible. Thanks for all the messages."

Lidl-Trek may have missed out on a potential podium finish at Paris-Nice, but the US squad can at least come away from the week with a stage win thanks to Mads Pedersen's sprint on stage 6.

The Dane put in one of the top rides of the day on Saturday, too, finishing among the GC riders in 10th place at the Auron summit finish.