Mattias Skjelmose fell to the ground yesterday during the seventh stage of Paris-Nice due to wet asphalt and a traffic barrier that was perhaps not correctly signaled. The Danish rider was in pain and reached the hospital in Nice with his team's doctor for the necessary checks. Only late last night did updates arrive, and fortunately, the 26-year-old Dane has not suffered any fractures.

On his Instagram profile, Skjelmose explained what happened during the seventh stage of Paris-Nice: his desire to perform well and return home with an important result ended when he slipped with his bike and was forced to abandon the race. "The dream of a podium spot was torn away when I fell today, 50 kilometers from the finish" – Skjelmose wrote, describing his drama – "After spending some time in the Nice hospital, I have now been discharged. I received stitches on my elbow, significant bruises on my right knee and hip, and a wound on my back. Therefore, I will be examined by specialists when I return to Andorra next week".

Paris-Nice has been characterized by bad weather, and many riders have fallen, including Jonas Vingegaard, who was forced to stop after sliding on wet asphalt while leading the general classification. "Cycling is a merciless sport. One day you feel great, the next everything can change in a fraction of a second" – Skjelmose continued in his long post – "But we must remember that the battles to overcome setbacks are as important as victory itself – An unpredictable battle where sometimes you win and sometimes you learn to get back up after falling. Now it's about looking ahead and recovering as soon as possible. Thanks for all the messages".

The Danish rider was third in the general classification, 59" behind leader Matteo Jorgenson. His desire was to finish Paris-Nice on the podium, but he was forced to stop due to the slippery road surface and a barely visible traffic barrier. Skjelmose will now have time to recover, and if there are no complications, he will return to race in the Tour of the Basque Country in April and then will be at the start of the Ardennes Classics, before beginning his preparation for the Tour de France.