Thor Hushovd slams Norwegian nominations after Tour de France duo snub
Thor Hushovd has condemned the Idrettsgallaen shortlist for Norwegian Male Athlete of the Year after Tobias Halland Johannessen and Jonas Abrahamsen were omitted despite landmark Tour de France performances. The former world champion called the decision “ridiculous, pathetic and silly,” arguing that cycling achievements are under appreciated in Norwegian awards culture.
Abrahamsen delivered Norway’s first Tour de France stage win since 2020 and the first ever by a Norwegian team. Halland Johannessen finished sixth overall, the best general classification result by a Norwegian in the race’s history. Neither rider made the list of 14 names, which is dominated by stars from biathlon, athletics, cross country skiing, football and speed skating.
“That there is not room among the 14 nominees makes me bristle,” Hushovd told VG. “We need to see the bigger picture. These are international sports where Norway is now competing, not just cycling but also golf and tennis. A lot of that is not valued while we keep collecting more golds in other disciplines.”
He added that it seems you have to win the Tour de France to be nominated, while noting he was grateful Uno-X is shortlisted for Team of the Year.
Abrahamsen told VG it was a pity no cyclists were nominated after the team’s best season, but stressed that achieving a Tour stage win meant more than awards and that he hopes it inspires interest in the sport.
The debate comes amid wider questions about how mainstream awards recognise cycling. Even globally, leading riders are sometimes overlooked. Tadej Pogačar, who dominated the calendar last season, was not shortlisted for the BBC World Sport Star of the Year award, a decision that raised eyebrows across the sport.
Recommended for you
