“His form is not where it's been at his best” - Magnus Cort’s Tour de France place debated by experts as Uno-X unveil 2026 lineup

Uno-X Mobility have confirmed one of the strongest Tour de France squads in their history, with Magnus Cort included despite an inconsistent 2026 season that had left his place open to debate.

The Norwegian-Danish team will head to the 2026 Tour de France with Tobias Halland Johannessen, Jonas Abrahamsen, Anthon Charmig, Magnus Cort, Andreas Kron, Anders Skaarseth, Torstein Traeen and Soren Waerenskjold. The eight-man selection gives Uno-X a clear GC leader, several stage-hunting options and a level of depth that made even Cort’s place a point of discussion.

Cort has twice won stages at the Tour de France, first with Astana in 2018 and later with EF Education-EasyPost in 2022, while his wider Grand Tour record also includes stage victories at the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a Espana. In most lineups, that would make him an obvious selection. At Uno-X, before their fourth consecutive Tour appearance, the call still prompted discussion.

Before the official announcement, TV 2 cycling commentator Magnus Drivenes, expert Mads Kaggestad and former pro Alexander Kristoff were asked to pick their own Uno-X Tour squads. Kristoff, who wore yellow at the Tour and won four stages during his career, included Cort. Kaggestad also found room for him. Drivenes did not.

Drivenes selected Andreas Leknessund instead of Cort, alongside Halland Johannessen, Abrahamsen, Waerenskjold, Kron, Skaarseth, Traeen and Charmig. He still made clear that leaving out a rider of Cort’s standing was a difficult call. “It almost hurts to leave out a rider of Magnus Cort’s calibre,” Drivenes said in conversation with TV 2.

Cort’s 2026 has not lacked highlights. He won Stage 2 of the Volta a Catalunya, finished fifth on Stage 4 of the same race, placed 13th at Eschborn-Frankfurt and sprinted to third on Stage 3 of the Tour de Suisse behind Jhonatan Narvaez and Xandro Meurisse after the leading pair narrowly survived in front of the peloton.

Away from those peaks, though, his results sheet has been uneven. Cort abandoned the Itzulia Basque Country, finished 100th at Liege-Bastogne-Liege and had several quiet days in Switzerland outside that Stage 3 podium.

For Drivenes, even the Tour de Suisse result did not fully settle the question. “He could easily have won there if two of his teammates had not had to abandon the day before,” Drivenes said. “However, he struggled during the stage and had to let the peloton go several times, and that indicates that his form is not where it's been at his best.”

Cort’s 2025 campaign ended early after problems with persistent fatigue, adding another layer to the debate around his current level. His best 2026 results justify the faith, but the full picture explains why his place was not treated as untouchable.

Uno-X ultimately chose Cort and Charmig, while Leknessund and Anders Halland Johannessen missed out. Charmig strengthened his own case by winning Stage 2 of the Tour Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes, while Cort brings Tour experience and a rare racing profile few in the team can match.

At his best, Cort can survive hilly days, read breakaways and finish from reduced groups, a valuable mix for a team chasing another July breakthrough after Jonas Abrahamsen’s Stage 11 victory last year.

Halland Johannessen remains the centre of the project after finishing sixth overall at last year’s Tour. He has backed that up with a strong 2026 campaign, including fourth overall at Tirreno-Adriatico, second at Milano-Torino, third at the Itzulia Basque Country and fifth in his final Tour warm-up race.

Abrahamsen, Kron, Traeen, Skaarseth and Waerenskjold complete a squad with options across different terrain. Waerenskjold’s recent form was also discussed by the TV 2 panel, but his strength in the team time trial and sprint potential made his selection difficult to dismiss.

Cort now arrives at the Tour with his reputation intact but his current level still under scrutiny. Uno-X have backed his experience, finishing instinct and Grand Tour pedigree in a lineup strong enough to leave proven options at home.