Uno-X earns WorldTour promotion as Cofidis drops out in end-of-season shake-up

Although the UCI will only publish the official team rankings after the weekend, the numbers already tell the story. Uno-X Mobility finishes nineteenth in the 2023 to 2025 cycle, normally one spot short of a WorldTour licence, which is granted to the top eighteen.

But with Lotto and Intermarché Wanty merging, an extra place opened up. Lotto had already earned promotion on sporting merit as a ProTeam, while Intermarché Wanty also finished safely above the relegation line. The merger freed up one of their two licences, allowing Uno-X to step in.

The final weekend brought all the tension of a title fight. Just 401 points separated Uno-X and Cofidis before the last races, and both teams threw everything into the closing events, sending riders to Guangxi, Japan, Veneto and the Chrono des Nations.

Cofidis made early gains thanks to podium finishes from Stanislaw Aniolkowski and Ion Izagirre, cutting the gap to only 174 points. But Uno-X struck back when it mattered most. Søren Wærenskjold finished fifth in the Chrono des Nations, adding crucial points, and Sakarias Koller Løland sealed the deal by winning the Veneto Classic, the final race of the year.

Uno-X joins Lotto and Israel Premier Tech in moving up. The latter, had already secured its promotion earlier in the season. Team owner Sylvan Adams recently confirmed he will take a step back as the team distances itself from its previous Israeli identity.

For France, the picture is far less positive. Both Cofidis and Arkéa B&B Hotels have dropped out of the top tier, leaving only Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale and Groupama FDJ at WorldTour level. Arkéa B&B will shut down completely after failing to secure new sponsors, while Cofidis will continue as a ProTeam.

There is at least some consolation for Cofidis. The UCI will grant three guaranteed wildcards for the 2026 season to the best-performing ProTeams of 2025, and Cofidis, along with Tudor and Q36.5, has earned one of them. 

The rule, originally allowing only two teams, was expanded this year, ensuring all three will receive automatic invitations to every WorldTour race next season.

The new WorldTour cycle runs from 2026 to 2028, opening a fresh round of promotion and relegation. For Uno-X it is a patient project coming of age, for France it is a sobering reset as power redistributes across the peloton.