Wærenskjold has to put Mickey Mouse on hold as Uno-X suddenly spots once-in-a-lifetime chance in license battle

The UCI points accumulated over three years from all races will be added up after this season, when the period from 2023 to 2025 ends. Uno-X Mobility currently holds nineteenth place, which, in theory, is insufficient for securing a WorldTour license for the next three years. But the merger above means that Lotto and Intermarché will soon be joining forces.

With Lotto in virtual twelfth place in the UCI team ranking and Intermarché-Wanty in eighteenth place, Uno-X will virtually move up to the last spot. However, the lead over its closest rival, Cofidis, is only 401 points. And the French team has the advantage of being invited to the Tour of Guangxi as a WorldTour team, for example, while Uno-X has to collect its UCI points elsewhere.

For that reason, it's all hands on deck for the Norwegian cycling team, which will still be competing in the Veneto Classic and the Chrono des Nations on October 19. Søren Wærenskjold was called back from vacation to ride another time trial in France on Sunday. "I got a message that there was a crisis when it came to the points. Then I knew I had to do the Chrono des Nations. '

Wærenskjold told TV2: "I'll take one for the team." Because he had already planned a trip to Miami and Disney World in Orlando with his fiancée, Iben. Team boss Thor Hushovd was the one who called his fast rider and emphasized to cycling journalist Daniel Benson that the opportunity to be a WorldTour team as early as 2026 is a once-in-a-lifetime chance.

“The chances are pretty good for us, but Cofidis is in the Tour of Guangxi and can go to the Japan Cup, so they have more opportunities to score points,” said the Norwegian. "We've had a great season and are very close to our goal of becoming a WorldTour team. We still need to score points, and the merger between Lotto and Intermarché must be approved. So it may take a while before we have clarity."

Hushovd had not anticipated becoming a WorldTour team as early as 2026 before this season. “We talked about it a little last year, but thought promotion would be impossible. But with the season we've had, it became increasingly logical to do it this year. We didn't race for UCI points all year, only for victories.”

And those came in abundance. Uno-X recorded 22 victories, including Omloop Het Nieuwsblad with Wærenskjold, a stage in the Tirreno-Adriatico with Fredrik Dversnes, a Tour stage with Johannes Abrahamsen, and two stages and overall victory with Wærenskjold again. “Our identity from day one has been that we wanted to build it brick by brick, and we will continue to do so.”

Hushovd added: “Next year we want to start in all three Grand Tours, but for now we don't know anything yet.”