Thor Hushovd hopeful of "real boost" in Norwegian cycling over the coming years

Thor Hushovd, past World champion, Tour de France green jersey, inbetween many other large successes in his career, has talked about the future of Norwegian cycling, aswell as it's current status in the peloton.

Now an organizer for the Arctic Race of Norway, currently on the road, Hushovd has largely talked about how the race is attracting the World Tour field: “We've had some pretty good winners in recent years. And I hear from riders that if their team is there, they like to come to this race. Why? The Arctic Race is 'different' from many other races," he argued. "The region is attractive and, most importantly, this is not a WorldTour race. In other words, the pressure is a lot less in the WT circuit.”

When asked about Norway's current popularity in the sport, Hushovd has had this to say: “It has grown. Obviously not comparable with what you are used to in Belgium, for example... We have toppers like Alexander Kristoff and Edvald Boasson Hagen here. But to get that real boost, we need someone who wins monuments or competes for a top finish in the final classification of the Tour de France.”

Luckily, in the hands of Tobias Johannessen the country is developing a talent that is expected to become a leading figure in the Grand Tours over the coming years, and he has a contract into at least 2024 with the team. Uno-X is looking to join the World Tour over the coming years, as the nation is making a big push towards the top of the cycling world after it's glory years of the last decade and a half.