No Uno-X in the Tour de France next year? "Sometimes it’s very simple, but that’s not the case this year"

Lotto and Israel–Premier Tech, as the best teams of 2024, automatically earn a wildcard for the Tour and will certainly claim it. This leaves only two wildcards available. The Danish-Norwegian team Uno-X received a wildcard in the past two Tours and made their presence known, competing actively even without securing a victory. However, this is no guarantee for the future, as more contenders have entered the fray.

Uno-X is doing everything possible to stay in the good graces of Tour director Christian Prudhomme. Earlier this week, a strong delegation attended the Tour presentation: Ole Robert Reitan, CEO of Reitan Retail; general manager Thor Hushovd; and five riders, including Kristoff and Abrahamsen. But the wildcard invitation has yet to arrive. Hushovd is working hard to charm the organizers. "Being present and visible is important," he told TV 2. "There were few athletes here. That shows we take it seriously and appreciate the ASO as organizers. We’re flattering them to hopefully secure another invitation," said Hushovd. "When the ASO reviews everything, they’ll remember that Uno-X was here, the owner was here. Tudor wasn’t. I didn’t see anyone. I think it’s important to show up at these events," he added.

It’s no surprise Hushovd mentions Tudor specifically. The Swiss team is a strong contender, having signed Marc Hirschi and Julian Alaphilippe, two top riders with a proven track record in the Tour de France. "The feeling is still very positive, but we have to acknowledge that Tudor has signed two extremely good riders in Hirschi and Alaphilippe," Hushovd remarked.

And that’s not all. French teams TotalEnergies and the newly formed Unibet Tietema Rockets are also clear about their Tour ambitions. While it may be a bit early for the Rockets next year, Total has been a regular participant in recent years.

Prudhomme, for now, remains tight-lipped. "Sometimes it’s very simple, but that’s not the case this year," is all the Tour director would reveal. So, Uno-X is left waiting and, as Søren Wærenskjold did last week, will have to "just smile politely and be nice" while the decision is made.