“It’s Yates and Halland Johannessen now” – Tour de France’s twin rivalry heats up

There’s the usual fight for yellow playing out on the roads of the Tour de France, but this year, there’s another quieter contest underway: the battle for the best set of twins in the peloton.

Stage 10 winner Simon Yates, who rides for Team Visma | Lease a Bike, is of course joined at the race by his brother Adam, riding in support of Tadej Pogacar at UAE Team Emirates – XRG. The pair have long been familiar names in pro cycling, but they’re not the only twin act drawing attention this July.

Enter the Halland Johannessen brothers, Anders and Tobias, racing for Uno-X. While Tobias has emerged as Norway’s top hope, currently sitting 10th overall on GC at the first rest day, his brother Anders made his mark by joining the break on Stage 10.

“They came to me the other day and asked me if there was a competition in the category of best twin,” Simon Yates told TV2. “They look like great talents. I'm sure they will show themselves in the rest of the Tour de France.”

For Uno-X team manager Thor Hushovd, the rise of the Halland Johannessens is more than just a novelty, it’s a breakthrough. “The twins delivered today. It's Yates and Halland Johannessen now. It's cool. Seen from Norwegian eyes, this is something new. We have the best riders in the world. It shows the enormous potential the twins have, especially Tobias, as it is now,” Hushovd said.

Tobias, clearly watching his brother’s move with pride, said Anders’ strong showing in the breakaway gave him a mental lift. “It was a good atmosphere for me to see Anders break through,” he said. “It was at a time when the field was going insanely fast. That's when I realized he had good legs. It's fun to hear on the radio that he's riding well in the break. It gives extra motivation.”