Norwegian ProTeam Uno-X Mobility are hoping to be on the start-line of the Tour de France for the third time in succession when the French Grand Tour rolls out of Lille next July.
As a second division squad, Uno-X Mobility have to rely on an invitation to the race from organisers ASO. Due to their rankings in the UCI team classification, Israel-Premier Tech and Lotto-Dstny have already secured their places at the 2025 Tour.
Uno-X Mobility will be chasing one of the final two wildcard places with Tudor Pro Cycling and TotalEnergies. The final spots for the Tour are expected to be announced in January.
A delegation of seven from Uno-X Mobility attended the 2025 Tour de France route presentation in Paris on Tuesday, including five riders, general manager Thor Hushovd and Ole Robert Reitan, the Chief Executive of Reitan Retail which owns the Uno-X Mobility company.
“We haven't received the invitation yet, unfortunately. We want to meet ASO, meet the management, meet the organiser, talk to them and show that we are serious about this,” Hushovd told TV2.
The former world road race champion, who was appointed as general manager of Uno-X Mobility at the start of the 2024 season, hopes that the team’s strong presence at the route’s unveiling will swing things in their favour. According to Hushovd, there were no representatives of the Swiss Tudor team at the event.
“Being present and just being visible is important,” he said. “There were few athletes here. It shows that we take it seriously and we appreciate ASO as an organiser. We are fighting to get this invitation once more.”
“When the ASO organisations are gathered and have a summary of this, they will talk about the fact that Uno-X was here, the owner was here, and we take that seriously.”
“They were not present, Tudor. I didn't see a human being. I believe that such things should be addressed,” he added.
Their Swiss rivals have made seismic moves in the transfer market ahead of their push for a 2025 Tour spot. Tudor, who are managed by Hushovd’s former Classics rival Fabian Cancellara, have signed the likes of Julian Alaphilippe from Soudal Quick-Step and Marc Hirschi from UAE Team Emirates. Were Tudor to be invited, it would be their first time competing in the Tour.
TotalEnergies, meanwhile, have the advantage of being a home team, and have participated in every Tour since their inception in 2000.
“The gut feeling is still very good, but one must take seriously that Tudor has signed two extremely good riders with Hirschi and Alaphilippe. But at the same time, we have had a brilliant season,” Hushovd said.
ASO boss Christian Prudhomme admitted that the 2025 wildcard selection is among the most difficult he has taken part in. “Sometimes it's very easy, it won't be like that this year,” he told TV2.
“I was impressed [by Uno-X Mobility], and I have received a few messages from Thor Hushovd,” he added.
Uno-X Mobility performed well during the 2024 Tour, with breakaway specialist Jonas Abrahamsen wearing the Polka Dot jersey from stage one to ten.
The team’s most experienced rider, Alexander Kristoff, a veteran of eleven editions of the Tour de France and a winner of four stages, believes that his team deserves an invite from a sporting perspective.
“Just sportingly, as of today, I feel we are in,” the 37-year-old said.
“It's a bit of a tougher battle. Tudor has signed many good riders and we are fighting against Total, which is French.”
“It is important in terms of sponsorship and visibility and such. So it will be a defeat [to not get an invite] when you have been involved for two years.”
