Source: TV 2 Sport
Published: July 21–22, 2026
Type: Media · Professional Sport · Race Coverage · Athlete Reference
Topics: Mattias Skjelmose · Tour de France · Time Trial · Aerodynamics · Wind Tunnel · Professional Cycling · Performance Optimisation
Facility: Fusion TEMPO! Wind Tunnel
Source independence: Independent Editorial / Athlete Statement

TV 2 reports on Mattias Skjelmose’s breakthrough time-trial performance at the 2026 Tour de France, where the Danish Lidl-Trek rider finished third on the 26.1-kilometre individual time trial between Évian-les-Bains and Thonon-les-Bains. Only Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogačar were faster, with Skjelmose describing the performance afterwards as the best time trial of his career.

Following the stage, Skjelmose explained on TV 2’s AftenTour that the result followed a targeted aerodynamic development process he had initiated himself. After previous time trials where he felt his results did not reflect the power he was producing, Skjelmose contacted Fusion and spent almost ten hours testing in the company’s TEMPO! Wind Tunnel in Svenstrup, Denmark.

The programme focused on extracting more speed from Skjelmose’s existing power output. Testing included his riding position, helmet choice and different equipment configurations available through Lidl-Trek’s technical partners. Speaking to TV 2 after the Tour de France time trial, Skjelmose directly linked the work to his improvement, saying he was certain it was one of the reasons his performance had become significantly better.

For Fusion, the result provides a rare professional-sport reference where aerodynamic development conducted in the TEMPO! Wind Tunnel was subsequently applied in competition at the highest level of professional cycling, with the athlete himself publicly identifying the optimisation process as a contributing factor to his improved performance.

Original sources: TV 2 Sport · TV 2 AftenTour