"We will build and find the next stars from Scandinavia" — Uno-X eyes top-three spot in women cycling according to Thor Hushovd

Uno-X Mobility is preparing to make a decisive push in women’s cycling, aiming to become one of the world’s top teams. After entering the Women's World Tour in 2022, the squad has kept growing steadily and 2025 has marked its best season so far.

They almost doubled their number of victories (going from 8 in 2024 to 14 this season) thanks to a well-rounded effort. Seven different riders managed to win, with Mie Bjorndal Ottestad leading the way as she got 5 wins.

"We will now focus more on the women's team. We will try to be top three teams in the world, with signing the big stars," the team’s general manager, Thor Hushovd, told the audience at Rouleur Live on comments gathered by Domestique. He emphasised that women’s cycling will play a central role in the organisation’s strategy moving forward.

The team plans to combine international star power with the development of young Scandinavian riders, as they know providing role models is key in order to inspire and attract promising young talents from the region.

"Younger Norwegian and Danish girls, and all of Scandinavia, they look up to this and see that, ah, I would love to be this rider bringing to France more Uno-X colours, so we have more girls riding the bike."

This plan has been carefully cultivated throughout the last seasons according to Hushovd. "This is a long-term project, and hasn't been something that has just happened overnight or in the last couple of years. This has been step-by-step, building to get to where the team is at now."

The rise of Uno-X began with a simple idea from its title sponsor. "There's no other better way for mobility than riding the bike." Rather than relying on traditional marketing, the company chose cycling as a way to grow its brand, a strategy that seems to be fruitful so far.

Hushovd reaffirmed the long-term approach, which comes as a breath of fresh air to a sport that has traditionally struggled to maintain stable sponsors. "There is bigger plans, it's long-term, and like the owners said, we are in it for the long run, and that's good for all of us, and it's good for the sport."

Former professional rider Alexander Kristoff, who recently retired after an oustanding career, stressed that the Scandinavian core of the team creates unique cultural cohesion. "We are a group of Norwegian, Scandinavian, or Danish riders, so we can understand each other very easily, because we speak more or less the same language."

He contrasted this with his experience in more international squads. "I've been in international sports before, and usually it's nice as long as they keep international, but then suddenly there can be six French guys, and then we are two others, and then the whole table speaks French. If you don't understand French, then it's not so exciting anymore."

This cohesion carries over into team strategy on the road. Following a strong season in the men’s Tour de France, including a stage win and a top-six general classification finish, Uno-X continues to operate with clear objectives. "We always have a goal somehow, by trying to have at least a rider that we can ride for, or maybe a few. And we always have a plan how to achieve something," Hushovd explained.

With the men’s team now in the UCI WorldTour, after a late-season surge that allowed them to outscore Cofidis, and the women’s program set for significant investment, Uno-X is positioning itself to become a long-term incubator for Scandinavian talent. "Then we will build and find the next stars from Scandinavia," Hushovd concluded.