Jesper Skibby Biography: Wife, Age, Daughters, Net Worth, Career, Height, Parents, Sister

Jesper Skibby is a Danish cycling icon and retired professional road racer whose sharp wit and relentless determination energized the peloton for 15 years.

Making a splash with a stage win at the 1989 Giro d’Italia, he became the first Dane to secure victories across all three Grand Tours—Giro, Tour de France, and Vuelta a España—while his lively personality and unwavering spirit endeared him to fans.

Profile

• Full Name: Jesper Skibby
• Stage Name: Jesper Skibby
• Born: 21, March 1964
• Age: 61 years old
• Birthplace: Silkeborg, Midtjylland, Denmark
• Nationality: Danish
• Occupation: Retired Professional Road Cyclist, Motivational Speaker
• Height: 1.88m
• Parents: Willy Skibby and Mrs. Skibby
• Siblings: Karina Skibby
• Spouse: Mette Røpke (m.2012)
• Children: 1
• Relationship: Married
• Net Worth: $3 million

Early Life and Education

Jesper Skibby was born on March 21, 1964, in Silkeborg, Midtjylland, Denmark.

His father, Willy Skibby, was an Olympic cyclist, while his mother was a schoolteacher.

He grew up alongside sister Karina Skibby, who also pursued elite cycling and competed at the Olympics.

Skibby’s youth revolved around local races rather than classrooms; he skipped formal higher education to chase amateur successes, training under his father’s guidance and emerging as a national junior standout by his late teens.

Of Danish ethnicity, he has not publicly discussed religious beliefs.

Career

Jesper Skibby launched into the pro ranks in 1986 with the Belgian Roland Cycling Team, fresh off amateur triumphs like the 1985 Grand Prix François Faber that caught scouts’ eyes.

His debut season brought quick flashes of brilliance, including a near-miss at Paris-Roubaix, but it was 1989 that ignited his star—joining Dutch squad TVM, he snagged stage 4 of the Giro d’Italia in a chaotic sprint, becoming Denmark’s top rider overnight and drawing crowds with his post-race quips.

That breakthrough fueled a string of domestic wins, like the Danish Road Championship, as he honed a sprinter’s explosive power suited to flat stages and cobbled classics.

Skibby’s mid-career exploded with global feats, cementing his Grand Tour legacy across the 1990s with TVM.

A 1991 Vuelta a España stage triumph kicked off the trio, followed by his crowning 1993 Tour de France victory on stage 5 from Avranches to Évreux—the first for a Dane in the race’s history—and a repeat Vuelta stage in 1995, making him one of just a handful worldwide with wins in all three majors.

Setbacks tested his mettle, from a 1993 Tirreno-Adriatico crash fracturing his skull (a recovery that stunned doctors) to the infamous 1987 Tour of Flanders mishap where a race director’s car mangled his wheel mid-Koppenberg climb, sidelining the cobble for years.

Yet he rebounded with overall wins like the 1994 Tour of Holland, blending grit with that trademark humor that kept teammates loose.

Jesper Skibby wrapped his pro tenure in 2000 with Danish outfit Memory Card-Jack & Jones, capping 15 seasons with over 20 UCI victories and a record 11 Tour de France starts.

Retirement ushered in reflection through his 2006 autobiography Forstå Mig Ret, where he openly confronted doping—admitting to EPO and growth hormone use amid the era’s pressures—and later books like 2021’s Engang Var Jeg Jesper Skibby, chronicling addiction battles and redemption.

Today, he commands stages as a corporate speaker, weaving race tales with life lessons on resilience, while dipping into politics with a 2021 Gribskov council bid for the Nytgribskov list.

His influence endures in Danish cycling, mentoring talents and reminding the sport of its human side.

Social Media

• Facebook Handle: Jesper Skibby

Personal Life

Jesper Skibby married Mette Røpke around 2012 following a whirlwind romance that began during his appearance on Vild med Dans TV.

The couple now enjoy a quiet life in Gilleleje with their daughter Elisabeth and family dog Jax, with Mette managing the household while Jesper works as a real estate consultant.

His previous marriage to Anne Skibby ended in divorce around the same time, leaving him with his eldest daughter Nicoline, whom he co-parents from a distance, while nurturing close relationships within his blended family.

Net Worth

Jesper Skibby holds an estimated net worth of $3 million.

His wealth builds from peak-era race purses and Grand Tour bonuses during 15 pro seasons, bolstered by endorsement deals with brands like Jack & Jones, alongside steady income from speaking gigs, book sales from titles like Forstå Mig Ret, and consulting roles in Danish business circles.