Magnus Sheffield becomes first American rider on Uno-X men's team: 'It was never really a question of if, but when'

Sheffield, 24, explains his connection to Norway. “My mother grew up in Gjøvik, and most of our family now lives around Oslo. She moved to the U.S. when she was twenty to study, and that’s where she met my father."

"At home, we always spoke Norwegian. It was almost like our secret family language while growing up in the U.S."

"Even though we grew up in the U.S., my parents thought it was very important to preserve Norwegian traditions. We often traveled back to visit family. When I was a child, coming to Norway always felt like a little adventure. In a way, it still does,” he explains.

"I was already in talks with Uno-X when I was a junior, and I always felt that it was never really a question of if I would ride for the team, but when," the rider said. “Joining Uno-X Mobility feels like coming full circle on the journey my mother began when she moved to the U.S. at age 20. Uno-X has always been a team I was interested in, even before I turned pro.”

Just like Sheffield—who has been riding for INEOS for five years—the team has made great strides. “It’s been exciting to follow Uno-X’s development from a professional team to a WorldTour team. I feel like this is the perfect moment in my career—and in the team’s development—to be part of this project.”“From my very first conversations with Thor, I felt this was an environment where I could take the next step in my career. I’ve heard from both riders and staff that Uno-X really feels like a family. The team continues to grow, but you can still see how close-knit they are. Especially the way they race shows that they’re a single unit,” says Sheffield.

By "Thor," he means Hushovd, who, in turn, is also pleased with his new addition. “Magnus is a rider with enormous potential, and I don’t think we’ve seen the full extent of it yet. He’s already finished fourth in Paris-Nice and sixth in Flanders. That says a lot about his versatility.”

"This is one of our major acquisitions, one we're incredibly proud of. We believe we can provide him with the environment he needs to take the next step and develop into one of the sport's leading riders. We’re also proud of the Norwegian part of Magnus’s story. He has a Norwegian mother, has spent a lot of time in Norway, and—which is important to us—he speaks Norwegian.”

"Language is an important part of the identity we've built as a team. Magnus understands the culture and can fit in naturally from day one. And on top of everything he can do on the bike, he's a really great guy," concludes the former world champion.