From promotion to podiums“Did I expect that at the start of the season? Promotion to the WorldTour was partly a goal, yes,” Hushovd told Sporza. “But in January we realised we were still a long way from actually securing a WorldTour licence.”
The turning point came during the final stretch of the year as Uno-X closed down a near 3,000-point deficit to Cofidis. “To be honest, we never really changed our strategy,” Hushovd explained. “We didn’t race to collect points — we raced to win. We proved that right up until the final day of the season, with Sakarias Koller Loland’s victory at the Veneto Classic.”
Despite his delight, Hushovd admits the news is also somewhat bittersweet. “For cycling, it’s sad that a traditional team like Cofidis disappears from the WorldTour,” he said. “It’s also a real shame that we’re losing two teams altogether, with the closure of Arkea – B&B Hotels and the merger between Lotto and Intermarché-Wanty. The good news is that others are stepping up — like Tudor and ourselves — but the disappearance of those teams should be a wake-up call.”
“Millions of people watch cycling worldwide, and riders’ salaries are high, yet teams still face sponsorship issues,” he adds. “The business model perhaps still doesn’t work as it should.”
Hushovd is general manager of Uno-X Mobility
Grand Tour ambitions
With promotion comes guaranteed access to cycling’s biggest races — but not necessarily all of them. As Hushovd explained, “Each year, a WorldTour team can skip one race of its choosing. If, for example, you decide to miss the trip to China for the Tour of Guangxi, then you have to ride it the following year.”
Asked if Uno-X had already decided which event to forgo, he said: “That’s something we still need to discuss internally, but the plan is to ride all three Grand Tours next year.”
The team’s ambitions are now growing rapidly. “Next season, we’re targeting podium finishes in the major Classics and top-10 results in week-long stage races,” Hushovd revealed. “Tobias Halland Johannessen already finished sixth at the Tour de France this year, but his preparation wasn’t ideal because of a minor injury. With a perfect build-up, there’s even more potential there.”
Looking towards the futureHushovd also singled out 21-year-old Johannes Kulset as a rider to watch. “He’s one of the riders who’ll be able to test himself next year to see whether he has what it takes to ride for the general classification. Johannes showed this season that he can handle a heavy race schedule. He’s mentally strong and unafraid to set himself big goals.”
Uno-X have built their project on a foundation of national talent, structured development, and consistency rather than flashy spending — and Hushovd believes the long-term vision can carry them right to the top of the sport.
“The ultimate aim for Kulset and Uno-X is to deliver a Norwegian Tour de France winner,” he said. “With ambition and hard work, a lot is possible. And by 2030, Pogacar won’t be winning the Tour anymore.”