Alexander Kristoff (Intermarke-Wanty-Gobert) is reportedly considering a career-ending three-year contract. Norway's TV2 reports that the 34-year-old is planning to sign with Uno-X, a professional team in his home country.
Christophe spent four years with UAE Team Emirates before moving to Intermarche on a one-year contract; after struggling in 2021 and failing to compete in the Tour de France with Tour de France winner Tadej Pogachar, Christophe is looking ahead to 2022. He moved to Intermarque with compatriot Sven-Erik Bystrom.
After wins at Clasica de Almeria and Scheldepri, and podiums at Milan-Torino, Eschborn-Frankfurt, and the Morbihan GP, Christophe won a stage at the Tour of Norway before heading to the Tour de France.
Christophe's addition to the World Team has helped raise the team's profile, and his momentum has lifted the Belgian team out of the relegation zone and will likely keep them in the World Tour in 2023. Intermarche revealed to Cycling News that they are interested in retaining Uno.
However, Uno-X has not had much success, and given the UCI's sporting criteria of limiting the top teams to the best 18 teams for the 2020-2022 season, a WorldTour berth seems unlikely.
The official transfer market opens on August 1, and Christophe told TV2 that he has received offers from both Intermarché and Uno-X. I don't know yet which one I will choose, but I will have signed somewhere before the Tour de France. I haven't fully agreed with Intermarché yet, and at the same time I'm considering other offers."
While the addition of Kristoff will not change Uno-X's chances of competing in the WorldTour in 2023, the UCI stipulates that the top two professional teams receive automatic invitations to major races, so the Norwegian team will have the option of future Tour de France entry and possibly a guaranteed chance to be promoted to the WorldTour in the 2026 promotion/relegation round.
"It's a small step down compared to where I am now, but at the same time I'm impressed to see what they have accomplished," Kristoff said Friday of the Uno-X team. They're very good and they don't get lost in big races like the Criterium du Dauphiné." So it's definitely an exciting option. In any case, this is an important decision for me. I have very little time left in my career and this could be my last contract."
Comments