The rider

Mattias Skjelmose gives Lidl-Trek a second protected climber with enough pedigree to make the word second feel misleading. His 2025 Amstel Gold Race win, outsprinting Pogačar and Evenepoel, remains one of the most startling one-day results of this era because it showed he could beat the sport's biggest engines in a direct tactical fight. He nearly repeated the trick this spring, and his Dauphiné chemistry with Ayuso suggests Lidl-Trek can race with two climbers rather than one leader and a set of helpers.

Skjelmose's strength is not brute dominance. It is timing, punch and resilience across uneven terrain. He is slight, clever and difficult to categorize, more explosive than a diesel climber and more durable than a one-day puncheur. At the Tour, that makes him useful on stages where the GC race does not wait for the final climb. He can follow moves over short steep ramps, threaten from a reduced group, and give rivals a reason to chase even when Ayuso is sitting still.

The internal balance will be fascinating. If Ayuso is clearly stronger, Skjelmose becomes the most luxurious lieutenant in the race outside UAE. If Ayuso has a bad day, the Dane is not a fallback in name only; he is a ready-made GC plan. That flexibility is exactly what Lidl-Trek bought with their deep roster. Skjelmose does not need to shout for leadership. His legs will create the argument whenever the road gives him the chance.