Alexander Kristoff leads Uno-X for Tour de France debut

Uno-X are the first team to name their final eight riders for the Tour de France, with veteran sprinter Alexander Kristoff leading a group of talented young riders that includes Rasmus Tiller, Tobias Halland Johannessen, Søren Wærenskjold and Torstein Træen.  

The eight riders are all from Norway and Denmark as Uno-X make their Tour de France debut after securing a wildcard invitation from race organisers ASO. 

Uno-X will target the sprint finishes with 35-year-old Kristoff, who joined the team for 2023. He has won four Tour stages during his long career, the last of which also gave him the first yellow jersey of the 2020 edition.

Other riders will target breakaways, while Halland Johannessen tests his Grand Tour credentials.

Tiller won the recent Duracell Dwars door het Hageland in the Netherlands, while 2022 Under time trial world champion Søren Wærenskjold won the time trial at last week’s Baloise Belgium Tour and finished second overall.

Halland Johannessen won the 2021 Tour de L’Avenir and was third on a mountain stage at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

Also in the eight-rider squad are Jonas Gregaard, Jonas Abrahamsen and Anthon Charmig. 

Træen finished eighth overall at the Dauphiné as he continues his impressive recovery from testicular cancer. He discovered the cancer early when anti-doping authorities contacted him on May 13 after the tumour marker Human Chorionic Gonadotropin was discovered in his sample.  

Uno-X stand out in the peloton due to their bright yellow and red colours but they will have a different look for the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes, having attracted new sponsorship from supermarket chain REMA 1000. 

The logo of REMA 1000, as well as its 'R' range of own-brand products, will feature prominently on a new, predominantly red, jersey design for the world's biggest races. 

Anders Halland Johannessen, Erik Resell and Martin Urianstad are the three official reserves if any of the eight riders are unable to race. 

This team will travel to Bilbao with the goal of representing Norwegian and Danish cycling in an offensive, wholehearted, and very positive way. Uno-X will chase stage victories. That is our big dream for 2023,” team manager Jens Haugland said in a blog post after announcing the team live on Facebook.  

“The team is primarily divided into two groups. We have a "Classics group" that will ensure good opportunities for Alex on pure sprint days, while also having strong breakaway riders in this group. The same goes for the mountains, especially with Torstein and Tobias. Gregaard and Charmig also bring an X-factor that can pay off on breakaway stages. 

“There were many tough discussions but there is a leadership team that is proud of the group. Proud of those going to the Tour and proud of the overall development we have in the team. We have no plans to look back.”