Since 2023, the petrol station operator Uno-X Mobility and the US supermarket chain 7-Eleven have shared the roads of Norway and Denmark and operate 107 joint petrol stations. Both companies belong to the Norwegian conglomerate Reitan and both are or have been active as cycling sponsors; Uno-X Mobility is currently financing the UCI Pro Team of the same name around the classics specialist Alexander Kristoff. Team 7-Eleven was founded in 1981 and is regarded as the first US professional team to gain a foothold in international cycling. In 1985, the team took part in the Giro d'Italia for the first time and won a stage with Andrew Hampsten. From 1990, the team operated under the name Team Motorola.
Next Sunday, 27 April 2025, the two companies will use the stage of the spring classic Liège-Bastogne-Liège for a joint production and, in their own words, "an unforgettable tribute". At "L-B-L", Uno-X Mobility Cycling will not be competing in the usual red and yellow colours. Instead, the team will wear green, white and red, the colours of the legendary Team 7-Eleven.
Legendary team of the 80s
Liège-Bastogne-Liège, often called "La Doyenne", is the oldest classic of the sport, held since 1892, a 259-kilometre monument that crowns the Ardennes Week. Team 7-Eleven comes back to life for one day, which brings back many memories for ex-pro and Uno-X team manager Thor Hushovd: "Team 7-Eleven was a legendary team. My own cycling journey began when I saw Dag Otto Lauritzen, who like me is from Grimstad, win the first stage for Norway in the 1987 Tour de France wearing the jersey. To see our riders wearing the jersey now is really special."
Historical connection
In the background, there are even more historical cycling connections between the current Team Uno-X and the former 7-Eleven team. The US team used to ride Eddy Merckx's racing bikes (who incidentally is still the record winner today with five victories at Liège-Bastogne-Liège). Today, the brand rights for Merckx racing bikes are held by the Belgian Cycling Factory, which also owns the Ridley brand - the current outfitter of the Uno-X Mobility team. To mark the one-day revival of 7-Eleven, Ridley has therefore produced a special edition of the Ridley Noah Fast, which the pros will be using at the start.
Thomas Musch
Publisher
