A horrific injury stopped him walking for two years, but now the Norwegian Champion has finished the Tour de France
CyclingSunday, 26 July 2026 at 09:09
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Follow us on GoogleFor many riders, competing in the Tour de France is already a bucket-list item, but in the case of Uno-X rider Anders Skaarseth, his participation is especially remarkable. The 31-year-old Norwegian suffered a terrible injury in 2023 after a crash in the E3 Saxo Classic. After three difficult years, he is back racing at the very highest level. IDL Pro Cycling spoke with him about that journey.
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"From crutches to the Tour de France," was the headline Uno-X used this week in an Instagram post about Skaarseth. "Just over three years ago, that seemed like a distant dream, when a crash in the E3 Saxo Classic left him with a broken leg. But the dream remained, and step by step he fought his way back, and now he’s finishing the Tour de France as the Norwegian champion."
There’s no better one-paragraph summary than this, though the whole story is even more compelling. We let Skaarseth explain it.
Read more below the photo!
Anders Skaarseth in the 2026 Tour de France.
Interview with Anders Skaarseth (Uno-X) at the Tour de France
By the way, I suffered the same injury a year after you did, so I know it’s a long road to getting back in shape. But in your case, it looked even worse in the photos. Can you take me back to that crash in the E3 Saxo Classic and the period that followed?
"I slammed right into a little concrete wall, you know. It just snapped in two and stuck all the way out here... (points to his shin)"
They operated on me that very same night in Belgium, in Oudenaarde, but that surgeon was really bad. It was definitely not a good surgery. They hadn't set the bone fragments properly, so it was at a strange angle. My leg was completely crooked.
Because of that, I had to wait a whole year, because the bones never fused back together due to that botched surgery. Eventually, I sought out the best specialist in Norway to fix it. They had to correct everything and cut through both bones again to set it properly. After that, it was finally straight and felt a lot better.'
"I rode for one more season with those screws in, but once they were removed, things really started to go much better."
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And in everyday life?
"It was okay in everyday life, but it was still annoying. And for elite sports, it just wasn't... enough."
Your body is constantly fighting against something that doesn't belong there, if those screws are still in place.
"Exactly. I was really happy when they were finally out. After that, my recovery went much faster. But all in all, it took almost a year before the reconstructive surgery, and it’s already been almost two years since they were removed. It was a long process. At one point, I was just happy that I could walk again at all, because that was a real struggle.”
How long did it take before you could walk normally again?
"Almost two years. Because that angle of that leg was just completely off."
Read more below the photo!
Anders Skaarseth in the Tour: it's a miracle in itself.
When did you realize that the first surgery in Belgium was a waste of time? Was it only after almost a year, or did you know right away?
"Right away. I showed some photos to other surgeons, and they immediately said, 'Ugh, this doesn't look good.' But of course, they didn’t want to reopen it right away, because that’s extremely traumatic for the tissues. So they didn’t want to repair it immediately. I had to wait almost a year to see how it held up. Then I said, ‘This feels terrible; something really needs to be done.’ And then they admitted that something had to change.”
"To be honest, I didn't think I'd ever make it back to the top level of the sport. I thought: maybe I can race for one more season, and then my career will be over. But anyway, here I am."
What was the turning point for you? What helped you regain your motivation and believe that you could reach that level again?
"At first, I trained really hard because I thought I'd be back soon. But when it ended up taking two years, at some point I really thought, 'This isn't going to work out at all.'"
Back then, I was just happy if I could walk and maybe run a short distance. Just celebrating those small steps. After that, I noticed that things were going better and better on the bike, and that’s how I gradually regained my confidence. Of course, it’s still swollen sometimes and I can feel it, but at least I can compete in the Tour again. So that’s… really wonderful.'
And in this beautiful jersey as the Norwegian champion!
"Yes, it's been fantastic. I've worked really hard for this over the past two years. I'm in really good shape this year and I feel strong. The past year has been truly amazing."
How has the team supported you throughout this whole process? Because after two or three years, some teams might start to have doubts...
"Luckily, they supported me really well. I got all the help I needed from the doctors, the team management, and the rest of the team. I think they also knew what my level was when I’m in top shape. They didn’t want to just let me go or terminate my contract; they just gave me time."
To be honest, I was actually more skeptical than the team. I thought, “I might be able to come back for a few months, but I don’t belong on this team anymore.” I know how tough the competition is, and I didn’t want to take up a spot if I wasn’t good enough. But the team was truly amazing. They helped me tremendously, and I always had their full support. And yeah… here I am! I’m really, really glad it all worked out.’
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Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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Latest Comments
- - Bravo Anders! Norsk mester trøye in Le Tour, helt rått — goosebumps. Congrats to Uno-X for sticking by their guy.cyclechamp4526-07-2026
- - Not sure the piece needed the author’s personal anecdote in the middle. Felt a bit self-insert. Would’ve liked more detail on his specific rehab blocks and power numbers instead.robert6526-07-2026
- - Massive respect. That botched first surgery sounds grim, yet he still made the Tour and finished. Also, his positioning work for the sprinters this season has been underrated — textbook lead-out craft.bikebuffj26-07-2026
- - Quick question: how common is it for riders to get hardware (screws) removed after healing? Does it usually make that big a difference in performance or was his case unique?andrewf26-07-2026
- - What a ride from Skaarseth. From E3 crash carnage to Paris in the Norwegian champ jersey — that’s pure Viking resilience. Uno-X backing him through two surgeries and two years is proper team culture.samanthak26-07-2026
- - Renshaw’s take is spot on: if teams aren’t defending green, they’ll collaborate to control MVDP. But Pogacar lurking with those legs after the Tour he’s had… madre mía, esto va a ser fuego.jeremya25-07-2026
- - I miss the pure sprinter parade on the Champs. Merlier types basically locked out now. Rewarding the fast men after three weeks used to mean something.andrewf25-07-2026
- - Van der Poel owes Paris one after the pneumonia and the Olympic heartbreak. If the green jersey fight is settled, the peloton marking him could actually open the door for Pedersen or Evenepoel to counter. Proper chess on the cobbles.patriciaw25-07-2026
- - Not sure I get the change: article says the top of the climb was 6 km from the finish last year but now it’s extended to 10 km? Wouldn’t that make a regroup more likely and help sprinters a bit?julien25-07-2026
- - Loved the Montmartre inclusion last year and can’t wait for round two. This finish finally gives classics guys a proper shot in Paris. MVDP vs Pog vs Remco vs Pedersen… yes please.pedalpowe2925-07-2026
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