UNO-X PRO CYCLING TEAM

Country: Norway Number of riders: 12 Under-26: 8 Over-35: 0

Key stat: This new Scandinavian team has eight Scandinavian riders and three Brits

How was the off-season?

A new team for this year, Uno-x managed to persuade the UCI to change its regulations and allow a first year team to enter the Worldtour, as opposed to serving one season at Continental level. Norwegian registered, they have recruited mainly from Scandinavia, though of those eight riders only Susanne Andersen and Julie Leth have significant experience. Leth, along with former British road and time trial champion Hannah Barnes, will play a key leadership role as the squad establish themselves.

Biggest challenge?

With such a young and inexperienced squad the team will need to work hard to ensure they can deal with pressure both in the bunch and away from races. With multiple Olympic and world track champion Elinor Barker on maternity leave, what maturity they do have will be spread thinly through what is set to be an intense season.

Woman on the spot?

Brit Jos Lowden has been developing steadily, last year taking her first UCI level victories with GC at the Tour de Feminin in the Czech Republic, winning the final stage alone by a remarkable five minutes. While her Hour record ride and work at the road Worlds might have been higher profile, it was Lowden’s excellent rides in the Classics, especially Brabantse Pijl, where she finished fifth, that proved her value on the road.

Ones to watch?

Susanne Andersen joined Sunweb from Hitec Products in 2019 with a reputation as a talented sprinter, and bagged some decent results. However, Lorena Wiebes’s arrival relegated the Norwegian to a lead-out role. Now she is free, expect her to be at the pointy end.