"When two parties want the same thing, it should happen": The success story of Uno-X and Johannessen twins set to continue

Tobias Johannessen was one of the unexpected stars of the 2025 Tour de France. Although the 26-year-old Norwegian had previously shown glimpses of his potential here and there, his ability to perform over the course of three weeks was a pleasant discovery this summer. Partly thanks to the massive 520 UCI points his 6th place overall earned his team, Uno-X Mobility were able to surpass Cofidis on the UCI ranking to secure a WorldTour license for the next three years. A massive success for a team that consists only of Norwegian and Danish riders.

Naturally, after his performance, the interest from other teams to sign Johannessen grew through the roof. But for Tobias, who races in Uno-X colours alongside his twin Anders, the decision to stay with the Norwegian team is an easy one it seems. And so, his current contract that runs through 2026 is likely going to be extended.

"There is nothing new to report, really, because nothing has changed when it comes to where we want to cycle, if I may say so," he introduces to TV 2's Sykkelpodden podcast, referring to the fact that he has stated several times that it is in Uno-X that he wants to be. For more details, he redirects the questions to a higher authority: "You'll have to talk to [Thor] Hushovd, says Halland Johannessen and grins."

"There is no doubt that both twins are interesting to us, with what they have shown as riders and as people and everything they stand for. So we are doing what we can to keep them for many, many years," says Hushovd, and continues. "That's the thought in my head, and it sounds like they're thinking the same thing. It's reassuring. When two parties want the same thing, it should be possible to make it happen."

The 2026 will be a step into unknown. Instead of previously racing one Grand Tour a year plus some stage races and most Classics, next year Uno-X will have to contest a full WorldTour calendar. But according to Johannessen, the team is more than ready to take this step. After all, they have been applying for WorldTour license for a few years in a row now.

"For both us and the team, it is a huge step, especially considering participation in Grand Tours (three-week races, journal note). We have been lucky and have been able to ride all the one-day classics we want, but our team is hyper-mature for several Grand Tours," he says.

Partly due to the developed infrastructure and other mechanisms, partly because of the familiar atmosphere, the Johannessen twins have nothing to gain from leaving the team they have been part of since 2019, and going abroad.

"No, I don't feel that, and we never really have. The team is just getting more and more professional, and I think, quite honestly, that we have passed a lot of WorldTour teams in terms of the way the team is put together, coaches and so on. I think we are doing a lot of things right, and we don't intend to stop developing. So I see no reason to come up with something else," says the 26-year-old.

And as Tobias Johannessen's reputation continues to grow with results such as 6th at Tour de France and 5th at Critérium du Dauphiné, so does his salary at Uno-X. But for team manager Thor Hushovd, he's worth every Norwegian krone on his paycheck.

"There is more competition for them. Every time they get top results, they increase their value and make themselves interesting to other teams, so those are the consequences of performing so well. Then riders demand more, but they also deserve it, because they have done a good job," says Hushovd.

Regardless how great was 2025 for Johannessen, the final race of the year had gotten bitter for the 26-year-old who left Gran Piemonte on a stretcher after a fall. Diagnosis: Broken collarbone.

"Things are going really well now. I'm living a relatively normal life now, except that I can't play golf, he says, chuckling.

He broke the same collarbone less than two years ago. "In 2024 I broke it all the way out at the tip, but now I broke it in the middle. A "classic" collarbone fracture. That also made it possible to operate on it, so everything goes a lot faster then," he says.

With a normal progression of recovery, Johannessen's 2026 campaign shouldn't be affected. And that's important because the Norwegian already has a return to Tour de France on his mind. Next stop: Ideally podium...