"I think we can do even better than Denmark" - Thor Hushovd pushes for a future Grand Départ in Norway
Cycling
Tour de France belongs among the most popular sports events you could find. The privilege to host even just a fragment of Tour in your country is sought-after and talks to have Grand Départ in your country always take place long in advance. With Grande Boucle's diary full for years in advance (2026 Barcelona, 2027 Edinburgh, ...), any plans are rather hypothetical. And Norway love to gain an upper hand in any future talks.
After a successful Tour of the country's only professional team Uno-X Mobility, it feels like an ideal opportunity to pull a few strings. Trondheim sounds like a possible venue of this event in 2030, De Telegraaf infrorms.
"Are we in talks with ASO? I share my dreams with the Tour organization, and they know exactly what we want," replied Uno-X Mobility manager Thor Hushovd. "We all saw how 'crazy good' the Tour start in Copenhagen was in 2022. I think we can do even better than Denmark."
The likes of Jonas Abrahamsen, Tobias Halland Johannessen and Soren Waerenskjod have the qualities to attract masses to cycling. And in particular, to leave a lasting impression among the younger generation.
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"Young people need role models to pick up this sport. My inspiration was Dag-Otto Lauritzen," Hushovd admits.
"I was a child when he won a stage in the Tour de France in 1987, and the remarkable thing was that he came from the same village as me, Grimstad. He gave a nine-year-old boy, me, the hope that even someone from a small village in Norway could win a stage in the Tour de France."
De Telegraaf saw Hushovd speaking with Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. An insider is quoted as saying about the meeting between the two high-ranking Norwegians: "They discussed a Tour start, and there's something else, although I'm not really allowed to say it out loud. French President Emmanuel Macron is open to a Grand Départ here."
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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- I get the point totally. We live in the snowflake society where some riders forget they are getting paid to ride and get results. When they have a few issues they try to look outside of the real issue instead of themselves. It odd so many of the team are making no complaints and getting on with their job. If you do not like what you do find another job simples. Tough love as my mum would say.paultryan200207-11-2026
- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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