Uno-X Pro Cycling Team

[Eddy Evenepoel]

I'm kinda surprised that no bigger team tried to buy him out of his contract. .

After he won the u23 WC TT he did get an offer from UAE, but he chose to prolong with Uno-X until 2026 instead. In Norwegian media he did say that one of the reasons was that he felt UAE would’ve been morally wrong.

What really speaks against anyone paying a lot to buy him out is his positioning skills. He simply prefers to sit right at the back at all times which is a big disadvantage for him since it's a big effort to move to the front late in races to do the job if you're not already dropped because the peloton split.

Definitively something he need to work on and this was one of the things that costed him a lot in this years Roubaix I think. For example into Arenberg with this dumb double corner he lost a lot and basically every time there were gaps in the group he was on the wrong side and wasted quite a bit of energy to get back on many occasions.

 

[ingsve]

After he won the u23 WC TT he did get an offer from UAE, but he chose to prolong with Uno-X until 2026 instead. In Norwegian media he did say that one of the reasons was that he felt UAE would’ve been morally wrong.

Definitively something he need to work on and this was one of the things that costed him a lot in this years Roubaix I think. For example into Arenberg with this dumb double corner he lost a lot and basically every time there were gaps in the group he was on the wrong side and wasted quite a bit of energy to get back on many occasions.

Yet, still in Roubaix he has the power to work his way back to a front group on his own. It's even worse on courses with cobbled hills where you really need to be up front going into them or you will be hopelessly lost. Not that I think he'll ever do well in Tour de Flanders but some of the lesser Belgian cobbled races could be within his reach if he was better positioned on those types of climbs.

 

[Rob5091]

Jonas Abrahamsen has a very understanding girlfriend ...
https://cyclinguptodate.com/cycling...ts-better-to-ride-in-10c-than-in-3c-with-rain

"My rollers are set up in my girlfriend’s apartment in Oslo, where we have a dedicated room for it. .... "I do the heat workouts in the bathroom, so the temperature stays consistent," says Abrahamsen, who trains at 30°C for these sessions. "I lose about two liters of fluid in 50 minutes, so it’s quite a lot. Luckily, we have an air purifier that collects the moisture—after a session, there’s about a liter and a half in it. Otherwise, my girlfriend’s apartment would look very different, haha."

 

[Rob5091]

After mou comes Bu ... Uno-X new head coach -
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...hlon-visionary-bu-transform-cycling-at-uno-x/

 

[Mayomaniac]

After mou comes Bu ... Uno-X new head coach -
https://velo.outsideonline.com/road...hlon-visionary-bu-transform-cycling-at-uno-x/

Super Bu, Fat Bu or Kid Bu?

 

[Rob5091]

BuUno ?

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49ND7S3F9Ps

 

[Pozzovivo]

Tobias Halland Johannessen should win today actually. This is the perfect race for him. Very easy route and a short steep 12 minute effort at the end. He got a nasty sprint after these type of efforts. In good shape. Similar to the stage he won in Etoile de Besseges. Mid competition barring Tulett and Del Toro. Some big names way out of shape doesent really make a difference (yates and carapaz).

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Tobias Halland Johannessen should win today actually. This is the perfect race for him. Very easy route and a short steep 12 minute effort at the end. He got a nasty sprint after these type of efforts. In good shape. Similar to the stage he won in Etoile de Besseges. Mid competition barring Tulett and Del Toro. Some big names way out of shape doesent really make a difference (yates and carapaz).

I think what Del Toro showed in the mountain stage of Tirreno was more impressive, so he's my favorite. THJ is not a profilic winner, and hasnt won since september 2023. You are right about the stage he won in Besseges, it is similar and last year he should have won Classic Var on a similar parcour, but lost because of early celebration. His form this season have been slowly progressing and he did look good in the last part of Tirreno, so this is a good chance for him.

 

[Pozzovivo]

I think what Del Toro showed in the mountain stage of Tirreno was more impressive, so he's my favorite. THJ is not a profilic winner, and hasnt won since september 2023. You are right about the stage he won in Besseges, it is similar and last year he should have won Classic Var on a similar parcour, but lost because of early celebration. His form this season have been slowly progressing and he did look good in the last part of Tirreno, so this is a good chance for him.

Sure, it was way more impressive in general, but T-A stage 6 was also way harder. I think Del Toro got a bigger engine and that these type of fresh efforts are really THJ specialty.

Arguably, no prolific winners on the startlist (maybe yates but poor form in TA). It's time for THJ to start winning races!

 

[Pozzovivo]

l'avenir 23' > 21' I guess. Very predictable podium in the end. Nice to see AHJ doing better.

 

[search]

Wærenskjold has changed his schedule for the spring and will skip the Ronde and Scheldeprijs to be fresh for Roubaix.

In de Panne today, the team will sprint with two or three guys to collect points. Personally, he hopes for a top 5.

Færre ritt skal gi formtopp

Søren Wærenskjold skal onsdag kjempe for topp fem-plassering i Brugge-De Panne, men så kutter han ut ritt og lader opp til vårens monument.

www.l-a.no

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

Wærenskjold has changed his schedule for the spring and will skip the Ronde and Scheldeprijs to be fresh for Roubaix.

Good call. RvV is way too hard for him and in Scheldeprijs there is always a huge risk for crashing. I would’ve liked to see him do either G-W or Dwaars, in these races a good result would be possible with the right race development but I suppose he goes back home after today to train without distractions before Roubaix.

 

[search]

Good call. RvV is way too hard for him and in Scheldeprijs there is always a huge risk for crashing. I would’ve liked to see him do either G-W or Dwaars, in these races a good result would be possible with the right race development but I suppose he goes back home after today to train without distractions before Roubaix.

I don speak Norwegian, but the way I understood the translation, he will still do those races?! The initial plan was to do all, now they reduced it by two.

"He was originally scheduled to ride tomorrow's races, Gent-Wevelgem on March 30, Dwars door Vlaanderen on April 2, Ronde van Vlaanderen on April 6 and Scheldeprijs on April 9 before Paris-Roubaix on April 13.

This week, the plans were changed. – The Tour of Flanders and Scheldeprijs are being dropped so that I can perform as well as possible at Paris-Roubaix. It is a monument, and my main goal this spring."

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

I don speak Norwegian, but the way I understood the translation, he will still do those races?! The initial plan was to do all, now they reduced it by two.

"He was originally scheduled to ride tomorrow's races, Gent-Wevelgem on March 30, Dwars door Vlaanderen on April 2, Ronde van Vlaanderen on April 6 and Scheldeprijs on April 9 before Paris-Roubaix on April 13.

This week, the plans were changed. – The Tour of Flanders and Scheldeprijs are being dropped so that I can perform as well as possible at Paris-Roubaix. It is a monument, and my main goal this spring."

You are right, i didn’t read it properly. A good plan then. It seems that Uno-X are doing a lot of good decisions with the scheduling this year.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

There has been some talk about Uno-X also being able to challenge (Cofidis), Picnic and Astana for the 18th WT spot, but it don’t think it looks good.

In the cobble classics they didn’t really do that well, when we keep in mind that this should’ve been one of their strong periods and they didn’t improve much at the results from last season:

E3: 34th (12th)
G-W: 4th (20th)
Dwaars: 11th (2nd)
Ronde: 14th (24th)
Scheldeprijs: 8th (6th)
Roubaix: 8th (9th)

Now they are entering the Ardennes and they are really struggling with injuries and sickness. Kron still not ready, Hoelgaard is taken of the start lists for Brabantsje Pijl and Amstel after his great Roubaix, Abrahamsen got sick before Roubaix and is out, THJ have been sick, Hvideberg broke bones in his face in Scheldeprijs, Jansen is also out, Henrik Pedersen just broke his collar bone, Bevort still hasn’t raced this season and Kristoff got a concussion after Roubaix. This means that tomorrow they only fill 6 spots for Brabanstje Pijl after putting in Freheim and Resell, and they will only line up with 5 men at Classic Doubs. The lack missing budget for this season where they had to settle for 27 riders and no development team are really making them suffer now.

And to once again head into the Ardennes without a fully fit THJ will of course limit their chances to score good results.

 

[Samamba]

There has been some talk about Uno-X also being able to challenge (Cofidis), Picnic and Astana for the 18th WT spot, but it don’t think it looks good.

I think that was before Cofidis started scoring really well... It's gonna be hard now yes. But I've said it before, I really don't think it's a bad thing for them to stay a Pro Team with the extra wildcards for GTs, or at least not if that WC will become a guaranteed one (which is what the UCI wants). There's no way UNO X will not be in the top 3 best Pro Teams next years imo. Of course you never know, but you also don't want to be in the WT when you're not completely ready. Like Arkea the past few years, or Intermarché to a lesser extent, or Lotto the upcoming 3 years probably. It's not good for the riders (they need to ride more and races they don't want to), and just not good for a team in general if it doesn't lead to extra sponsors/money fast.

Anyways wth happened to Krons career man. He's always been sickness or injury prone, but every since his kneeproblems and especially his training accident at the beginning of last year it's been absolutely horrible. He looked to be getting better just before the Vuelta last season but crashed again.

And yeah, it was kinda to be expected that they were gonna struggle with their limited squad at some point given they abolished their devo team. Cofidis has been somewhat lucky in that regard so far, but I'm pretty sure they will have their bad luck too and they won't be able to keep riding like they've been doing. A devo team has become so important just to be able to ride a lot of races cause every team abuses it.

 

[Eddy Evenepoel]

I think that was before Cofidis started scoring really well... It's gonna be hard now yes.

Well, it would be enough if they could beat Astana and Picnic. With a great cobble campaign and 4-500 points more on the board right now and less injuries/sickness it would’ve still looked possible imo. But I think you are right, on a sporting level not a disaster to stay PCT. But maybe it would be easier to attract a secondary sponsor if they got the WT-license?

 

[Samamba]

Well, it would be enough if they could beat Astana and Picnic. With a great cobble campaign and 4-500 points more on the board right now and less injuries/sickness it would’ve still looked possible imo. But I think you are right, on a sporting level not a disaster to stay PCT. But maybe it would be easier to attract a secondary sponsor if they got the WT-license?

I never thought they had a chance at beating Astana.

Well yeah easier maybe, but that's what a lot of teams think and then it doesn't happen for some reason. Also, it would always bee too late to strengthen your team for next year.

Like for example Lotto, even if they find a sponsor (which I doubt right now) it would be too late. Everyone is fighting for good and decent riders already now (for example someone like Biermans has already at least 3 teams talking to him right now). Cycling has changed, good and even decent riders aren't free anymore in July, and for UNO X it would even be more problematic cause even if they got that WT spot somehow it would be very late in the year.

 

[pastronef]

Also, it would always bee too late to strengthen your team for next year.

Like for example Lotto, even if they find a sponsor (which I doubt right now) it would be too late.

so it looks like Lotto will start their 3 years WT shift without a second name sponsor and no upgraded budget?

 

[Samamba]

so it looks like Lotto will start their 3 years WT shift without a second name sponsor and no upgraded budget?

I haven't heard anything since Digi and Carrefour fell through. And it's been awfully quiet lately around that subject (tbf I haven't really asked about it either). I obviously don't know for sure, but if they couldn't find one last year when they actually had 2 years of good results I don't see why they would find one now when they are having a horrible season and another significantly better Belgian team is looking for one too.

Anyways, like I said. Unless they have one and it's getting kept quiet (which I don't believe), it would be too late if they find one in a couple of years, at least for next season.

 

[pastronef]

I haven't heard anything since Digi and Carrefour fell through. And it's been awfully quiet lately around that subject (tbf I haven't really asked about it either). I obviously don't know for sure, but if they couldn't find one last year when they actually had 2 years of good results I don't see why they would find one now when they are having a horrible season and another significantly better Belgian team is looking for one too.

Anyways, like I said. Unless they have one and it's getting kept quiet (which I don't believe), it would be too late if they find one in a couple of years, at least for next season.

so their only positive side is they are sure to get the WT for 3 years. but surely the owners and managers will have to work hard to solve the situation. gone are the epic years of Wellens/Benoot, the Greipel train, Hansen 19 GT in a row (threw that number there randomly) etc. things went awry when they sacked the previous managers and did hire that former Astana woman and heulot, no?