Alexander Kristoff left out of Uno-X Mobility squad for Tour de France

Uno-X Mobility have unveiled their eight-rider squad for the 2025 Tour de France, becoming the first team to do so ahead of the start in Lille on July 5. Alexander Kristoff has been left out of the squad in his final season as a professional.

"This was the hardest selection we've ever made. Some very strong riders missed out - and that speaks volumes about our progress as a team. Every year, we raise the bar," said general manager Thor Hushovd in a statement on Monday.

The Scandinavian team, set for a third consecutive Tour participation, have built their most competitive selection with the clear ambition of securing a first-ever stage win. They came very close twelve months ago when Jonas Abrahamsen was runner-up on the second stage behind Kévin Vauquelin (Arkèa-B&B Hotels).

Abrahamsen, who was one of the stars from last year's edition for his combative racing, is set to line up once more, but one man who will not is the veteran Alexander Kristoff, who could have started his 12th Tour in what is expected to be his final professional season. This was one of the difficult decisions that the team had to make, and they opted to focus on this year's Omloop Nieuwsblad winner, Søren Wærenskjold, for the sprint stages in July.

"Leaving out Alexander was incredibly tough," Hushovd explained. "He absolutely deserved a final Tour appearance, and I'm confident he would have delivered. However, we decided on Søren Wærenskjold as our main sprinter. He's shown he can win sprints against the best."

Søren Wærenskjold delivered the team's first WorldTour-level classic back in March, and the team will be hoping that the 25-year-old could be the first to break another new barrier for the team.

After a fine performance at the recent Critérium du Dauphiné, where he finished fifth in the general classification, Tobias Halland Johannessen, alongside his twin brother Anders, will be confident and motivated for another successful race. This is the first time the twin brothers will line up at the start of the biggest race together. Given his current form, the former Tour de l'Avenir winner, Tobias, could be set to have a much more significant impact compared to his previous two appearances at the Tour. 

Sports Director Gabriel Rasch emphasised the team's attacking philosophy: "We want to be in the mix every day. This team is built to ride aggressively — to shape the stages, not just follow wheels. We have riders for every scenario: breakaways, climbs, sprints. From stage one to the final day in Paris, we'll be chasing results."

The squad includes three Tour debutants in total: Anders Halland Johannessen, Stian Fredheim, and Markus Hoelgaard. They are set to be joined by Tobias Halland Johannessen, Abrahamsen, Wærenskjold, Andreas Leknessund, and two-time stage winner Magnus Cort.

Kristoff remains on the reserve list alongside Fredrik Dversnes, Johannes Kulset, and Rasmus Tiller.

• Jonas Abrahamsen (NOR)
• Magnus Cort (DEN)
• Stian Edvardsen Fredheim (NOR) (Tour debut)
• Markus Hoelgaard (NOR) (Tour debut)
• Tobias Halland Johannessen (NOR)
• Anders Halland Johannessen (NOR) (Tour debut)
• Andreas Leknessund (NOR)
• Søren Wærenskjold (NOR)