Uno-X Mobility is at this point in the season very close to obtaining a World Tour license for the upcoming three years. With Intermarché – Wanty and Lotto likely merging it means that besides Lotto and Israel – Premier Tech, there may be another team entering the top division in the sport. Right now the battle is very tight between the Norwegian team and Cofidis, but the previous won’t be able to count on Magnus Cort Nielsen to deliver a few more points until the end of the season.
Signed in 2024 from EF Education-EasyPost, the 32-year old became key to the team’s aspirations of climbing into the top of cycling, even if that wasn’t the initial goal. Besides a few other strong results, he has net victory at the Criterium du Dauphiné, Arctic Race of Norway, O Gran Camiño and others. He has brought in a good amount of UCI points for the team alongside the likes of Tobias Johannessen, Jonas Abrahamsen and Soren Waerenskjold.
“We don’t know fully what is wrong so that is a bit frustrating. I can look back at a season where I maybe had my best spring ever,” he wrote in an Instagram post. He won three stages and finished third at O Gran Camiño, finished sixth at Strade Bianche and Milano-Sanremo and was also second at Eschborn-Frankfurt. After that, his form plumeled, even though he rode the Dauphiné and Tour de France.
Cort Nielsen hasn’t raced since the Tour of Denmark but still made the effort to make a return. But ultimately that is not happening. “Unfortunately I have to end the season here. After weeks of trying to find the energy to train and race without success it has been decided that it is best to get a proper rest and hopefully come back strong for the next season”.
No more UCI points from Cort as Norwegian team aims for World Tour
Uno-X currently have 25.275 UCI points in this three-year cycle, quite a bit below Intermarché – Wanty but if the merger does move forward, the team is in provisional position to be promoted. However, it is only around 200 points ahead of Cofidis and the slightest of details can change the entire outcome of the season. Cort Nielsen’s absence may prove to be a decisive point.
“So I can still be proud of what I have achieved this year even though I would really have liked to be out there with the Uno-X team fighting for important UCI points right now”.