'No one believed' - Abrahamsen's remarkable Tour de France comeback

Jonas Abrahamsen's 2025 season reads something like a Hollywood script, breaking his collarbone just 17 days before the Tour de France, defying all odds to make the start line, then winning a historic maiden stage for Uno-X Mobility in Toulouse in a nail-biting finish.

Speaking at the Criterium de Saitama organised by the Tour de France, the Norwegian rider reflected on his rollercoaster year that began with illness during the spring classics before becoming his most successful to date.

"The season was very difficult at the beginning. I was ill during the classics and thought it was going to be a shitty year before the Tour," Abrahamsen told Marca. "I was very lucky to make it to the Tour, especially because I had a neck injury. But after winning a stage, everything changed."

The 30-year-old Norwegian's determination to recover from his collarbone break at the Baloise Belgium Tour in June surprised even those closest to him.

"It was very tough. I was in great shape, coming off a great block, and then I broke my collarbone," he said. "In the hospital, I was just trying to breathe because I was so stressed. But I knew I was strong. No one believed I would be back for the Tour: not my coach, not my boss. But I believed it. I started working the very next day at home. And I did it."

His Tour stage victory came in dramatic fashion, outsprinting Swiss champion Mauro Schmid after being part of a successful breakaway that also featured Mathieu van der Poel, who was chasing the duo down. The win marked UNO-X's first Tour de France stage victory since their debut in 2023, and Abrahamsen's first success at WorldTour level.

For Abrahamsen, it fulfilled a childhood dream, as he stated, "Since I started cycling at the age of 14, I watched the Tour every summer. In Norway, it's a big deal. In 2023, I rode my first Tour, and that was one goal. The other was to win a stage. Achieving that meant so much. I couldn't sleep for two days because I couldn't believe it."

Known for his aggressive racing style, Abrahamsen believes that the key lesson from 2025 that will stick with him is resilience, "When you're down, everything can go up again. If it rains, the sun will come out again. I'll stick with that idea."

Abrahamsen's success didn't end there, with two more victories at the Circuit Franco-Belge and the Muur Classic Geraardsbergen, further establishing 2025 as the best season of his career to date. Three of Abrahamsen's four professional wins came this past season, illustrating the progress he made.

Having been with Uno-X since its inception as a development team in 2017, Abrahamsen has witnessed the team's growth firsthand as they prepare to compete full-time in the WorldTour in 2026, having recently earned promotion.

"It's very special. At first, we were a small project with little money. We've grown year after year with good coaches and directors. Reaching the WorldTour is incredible. Being part of this from the beginning means a lot to me," said Abrahamsen.

With their first Tour de France stage win in the bag, and a 6th place finish in the GC with Tobias Halland Johannessen, Uno-X Mobility will be aiming to break new ground in 2026 as they embark on their first rodeo as a WorldTour side.