One final throw of the dice
Uno-X currently sit in a knife-edge battle with Cofidis for the final place in the top tier of men’s professional cycling going forward. The gap between the two teams stands at just over 400 points – slim enough that a single high-scoring result could yet tip the balance before the season officially ends this weekend.
In a late change of plans, team boss Thor Hushovd confirmed that Uno-X would add the Chrono des Nations to their calendar, fielding Waerenskjold and Carl-Frederik Bevort in what amounts to a last-ditch push for points. “We can look ourselves in the mirror afterwards and know we did everything we could,” said Hushovd to TV 2 after the decision was made.
For Waerenskjold, that meant scrapping his long-awaited break – and his first proper holiday of the year. “I got a message a few days ago: ‘It’s starting to look bad in terms of points,’” he said. “Then I realised it would be a trip to the Chrono instead.”
Waerenskjold will be leading Uno-X’s time-trial charge at Chrono des Nations 2025
Sun, sand… and a time trial bike
The Norwegian admits that swapping palm trees for the start ramp wasn’t the end to the season he had imagined, but both he – and more importantly his partner – realise the gravity of the situation. “She understands,” he said of his fiancée’s reaction. “You just have to adapt. I’d already spoken with Thor and said I was open to changing my holiday plans if needed.”
Uno-X, to their credit, have compensated the rider for the cancelled trip and handed him the team’s start fee for the race – but for Waerenskjold, the biggest reward will come if the team secures its spot at the top table. “I should be aiming for fifth or sixth place here, which would give around 60–70 points,” he explained. “It’s been an intense autumn. From being neck and neck with Cofidis, to opening a big gap, and now being here again with very little in it. It’s nerve-racking – and really important that we pull it off.”
Hoping to celebrate after
Should the team’s WorldTour promotion be confirmed by Sunday, Waerenskjold may finally get his chance to unwind. The couple plan to spend a few days in Paris before flying to New York – the one surviving stop from their original itinerary.
“It might be that the WorldTour spot is already secured before I start,” he said with a smile. “I’m hoping I can just cruise through and celebrate that it’s in the bag.”
For now, though, Disney World will have to wait. Waerenskjold’s fairytale ending this season isn’t about meeting Mickey Mouse – it’s about keeping Uno-X Mobility in the race to the very top of world cycling.