Who is the actual Danish time trial champion? UCI deliberation means Skjelmose wears champion's kit despite Price-Pejtersen being declared winner by federation

Johan Price-Pejtersen (Alpecin-Deceunicnk) may have been reinstated as Danish time trial champion by the Danish Cycling Union (DCU) at the end of January, but Tuesday’s team time trial at Paris-Nice saw Mattias Skjelmose still riding in the national champion’s jersey.

Lidl-Trek racer Skjelmose was handed victory at the Danish National Championships last June after originally finishing second in the race, with Price-Pejtersen disqualified for riding on the pavement.

Skjelmose, who had finished two seconds down on the 41km course, was a reluctant champion, saying he had “great sympathy” for his “good friend” Price-Pejtersen.

He officially held the title of Danish time trial champion until January 28, when the DCU announced that Price-Pejtersen would be reinstated as champion, with his disqualification reversed and his punishment reduced to a deduction of 25 UCI points and a CHF200 fine.

However, the UCI has intervened and will now make a final approval of the reinstatement, a decision which has still to be ruled upon by the UCI Disciplinary Commission.

On February 17, the DCU stated that the UCI “has chosen to reopen the case”, with the sport’s governing body announcing in a letter addressed to the DCU that “it has decided to refer the case to the UCI Disciplinary Commission”.

In the announcement, the DCU stated that the UCI has referred to article 12.5.010 of its regulations, which states that “the UCI has the right to appeal any disciplinary decision taken by a national federation”.

As a result of the DCU’s ruling having yet to be confirmed or overturned by the UCI, the riders are racing according to the status quo of the original disqualification. 

That meant that Price-Pejtersen rode in Alpecin-Deceuninck kit in time trials at the UAE Tour (February 18) and Tirreno-Adriatico (March 10), while Skjelmose was in the Danish champion’s skinsuit at Paris-Nice on Tuesday.

Skjelmose, who after the time trial last June said that “I have therefore offered Johan that he can have both the jersey and the medals – to recognize his achievement, so that it does not go down in history as a pure annoyance”, would otherwise have been fined for riding in incorrect kit, as riders are obliged by the UCI rules to wear the national champion’s kit.

Both riders will no doubt be awaiting the outcome of the UCI Disciplinary Commission decision, with the case now dragging on for more than eight months after the original race.

Cycling News has contacted the UCI for comment.