From online application to first professional contract; Tudor promotes talented Norwegian on a three-year deal
CyclingThursday, 03 September 2026 at 09:00
Tudor Pro Cycling have announced its second newcomer for the 2027 season. After a large-profile signing of Arnaud De Lie, the Swiss team's newest recruit Jesper Stiansen steps up from Tudor's U23 Team, after having been previously identified through Tudor's online talent programme.
Stiansen's path to professional racing has not been quite an easy one. As a junior, he had some solid results, but still ended up without any offers from UCI teams, spending his first under-23 year with local Norwegian team Kristiansands CK. During that time, Stiansen made a daring attempt, signing up for Tudor's online scouting form.
Tudor responded with an invitation for Stiansen to come and fight for his place in the development team during the 'Talent Days'. There, the young Norwegian impressed enough to receive a contract offer. The first season was a bit of a learning process but in 2026, Stiansen reached new highs.
Breakthrough 2026 season
The 21-year-old came close to victory already at the Istrian Spring Trophy (2nd in stage 1), then also at the Liege-Bastogne-Liege (3rd), and Tour de Bretagne (2nd in stage 5), until everything finally clicked in debut edition of Belgian hilly one-day race À travers les Hautes Fagnes (1.2).
These achievements did not go unnoticed and Stiansen will promote to the main team in 2027, signing a three-year deal.
"I first heard about the Team’s scouting program in early 2024, I applied and then got invited to the Talent Days later in May, which resulted in me joining the Devo Team the following year in 2025. I’m very thankful for everyone in the Team who has believed in me and helped me along the way. It feels special to be now able to take the next step with Tudor Pro Cycling, and I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together."
Jens Voet, Head of Development at Tudor Pro Cycling, comments: "Jesper’s journey with us embodies what our scouting platform was created for: finding and nurturing talented athletes who might otherwise go unnoticed. He was one of the very first riders applying via our scouting platform and then joining the Talent Days."
"His positivity, self-awareness, and clear improvement plan really impressed us during our first meeting. Signing Jesper for the Development Team, despite his limited results at the time, was a decision based on our belief in his potential and the values he brought to the Team."
"Race by race, we saw his progress"
"His first year was far from easy, with injuries and setbacks. Over the past winter, we could clearly see him making a big step. Race by race, we saw his progress – two wins and three podiums in 2026 speak for themselves now."
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"His development is also a reminder that talent isn’t always obvious from the outset, but with the right support, it can flourish. We’re incredibly proud of Jesper’s progress and excited to see him compete at the highest level, especially in the races he’s always dreamed of. His story is proof that our approach to talent development works, and it inspires us to keep supporting hidden talents in the future."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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