Uno-X adds two sports directors and has five clear goals for the 2026 season

The team, recently promoted to cycling's top tier, is strengthening its leadership structure to manage a significantly expanded racing programme that includes all three Grand Tours and the sport's biggest classics.

"We wanted Michael to give us more strength in the Grand Tours, but also in the week-long stage races that we have never tackled before," says Gabriel Rasch, head of the men's squad in the team'spress release. "He has experience as a rider and also in all aspects of managing a team, having led his team in the past."

Blaudzun joins after a long professional cycling career, followed by a stint as sports director with the Danish team Riwal. "When I was offered this opportunity, I had no doubts. I missed the environment and this project seemed like the right one," said the Dane.

The second addition, 33-year-old Asbjørn Kragh Andersen, brings a unique perspective as a recently retired rider. The brother of Lidl-Trek's Søren Kragh Andersen ended his own racing career in 2022 with Picnic PostNL before moving into team management.

Rasch believes Kragh Andersen's youth and recent racing experience will be particularly valuable: "He will guarantee us a more direct relationship with the younger guys, having raced with many of them himself. He is a unique figure in the world of sporting directors, being very young due to his early retirement from the professional world."

"What really attracted me to Uno-X was seeing how they grew," Kragh Andersen explained. "They started practically from scratch and, step by step, they have built a really smooth and steady growth. That really fascinated me."

The Norwegian outfit has set bold targets for its debut WorldTour season, including placing Johannes Kulset in the top 10 at the Giro d’Italia and supporting Tobias Halland Johannessen in challenging for the Tour de France podium. In addition, they are aiming to win stages in all three Grand Tours.

Beyond Grand Tour ambitions, the Scandinavian team also aims to improve their classics performances, particularly in the Ardennes races where they've struggled to make an impact, while building on existing strengths in the cobbled classics.

Rasch acknowledges the scale of the challenge ahead: "We know it will be a big challenge with even more WorldTour events. But with the strong group of coaches and coaching staff that surrounds our riders, we believe we can support them to achieve their dreams and goals, together."