Establish a professional Norwegian cycling team: – History of cycling

The Norwegian cycling team Uno-X is looking to establish a professional cycling team starting in the 2020 season. This is the first time that this has occurred among men in Norway.

The team will have a tribe of Norwegian and Danish cyclists.

– This is the history of cycling, perhaps sports, in Norway, said Kurt Asle Arvesen at a press conference this morning.

He holds the position of sports manager in the team.

The Uno-X team is today a so-called continental team. There is level three in the bike sport. Now, you opt for the procontinental, which is level two, as part of the "World Tour".

When the team will now increase its efforts and focus on "promotion", we will also be able to ride at completely different levels from today 's. Theoretically, in a few years, the team can also be invited to the Tour de France. Some teams receive such an invitation every year, as well as the 18 teams with world tour status.

The Tour de France is after all, the sun marks several years to come, if it ever becomes relevant.

– I think it's great and it's time to have a Norwegian team at this level! It will be exciting to follow them further, says Alexander Kristoff on the website Procycling.no

– It's getting bigger. A little more in the support system. More riders. We will still have the sporty U23 bit, but we will also have a group at an even higher level, says Arvesen.

The team has 17 riders and Stig Kristiansen says that the tribe will pass, but that it also opens for Danish riders. There is no automatic in what all the riders of today are hearing well.

Kristiansen was a former director of the national team, but is now a member of the Uno-X team as a sports director. The team has invested heavily in the development of Norwegian talent in recent years.

– We will lead the team long, cleanly, soberly and we will be humble. We should dare to be different and focus on the development of people and cyclists, "said Uno-X leader, Jens Haugland.

It does not mean what kind of budget we are considering.

In 2016, Cofidis had a budget of almost 100 million Norwegian kroner and employed 54 people, according to the renowned Inrng.com website. On the other hand, Wanty's team had a much smaller budget, with 39 million NOK.

The distances at this level are therefore large. But each team must have at least 16 riders, each with a minimum salary of about 300,000 according to the rules of the UCI.

– It's great for Norwegian cycling! That means more people have the opportunity to make their dreams come true, "says Kristoffer Halvorsen of Sky-sprinter at Procycling.no

The team will be calling the Norwegian Uno-X development team in 2020. Today, two of the profiles of the under-23 rider, Andreas Leknessund and Tobias Foss, recently trained at the U.S. team of Dutch professionals Jumbo Visma.

The fuel company Uno-X has poured millions of dollars into the Norwegian cycling sport in recent years. The cycling association is one of those who benefited from it.

The effort is therefore considerably increased from the 2020 season.

Thor Hushovd worked long enough to form a team of Norwegian professionals, but failed to secure the necessary sponsor money. Hushovd is not affiliated with the Uno-X team, which is now working very hard.

In Denmark, Bjarne Riis, on the other hand, tried to be stacked on the legs by a Danish team. He did not succeed either.