It had been in the works for some time, but now the deal is sealed: Torstein Træen is leaving Bahrain Victorious to take on a leadership role at Uno-X Mobility. The 30-year-old rider is returning to his old team, as the revelation of the recent Vuelta a España where he started his (pro) career riding for the Norwegian outfit.
With Træen, the ambitious team managed by Thor Hushovd adds another GC contender for stage races to their roster. The rider has long been recognized as a very capable climber—he even won a tough mountain stage at the Tour de Suisse last year—but this season he truly broke through at the highest level.
This breakthrough happened at the recent Vuelta a España. In the sixth stage of the Spanish race, he claimed the leader’s jersey from a breakaway. Træen held onto the coveted jersey for three days, but in stage ten we saw a change of leadership as Jonas Vingegaard took over the race lead.
However, the Norwegian managed to hold his own in the subsequent stages and even secured a top-10 finish in the overall classification: Træen finished ninth in Madrid, just under ten minutes behind the Dane from Visma | Lease a Bike.
Reunion with his ‘first love’
At Uno-X Mobility, Træen will undoubtedly have more opportunities to ride for himself—something that wasn’t always the case at Bahrain Victorious. “We welcome a family member. A rider who has been part of our story from the very beginning,” the team enthusiastically announces his arrival. “Now, after two seasons away, he returns with even more experience and the same determination. The circle is complete.”
““I can barely put into words my desire to be part of Uno-X Mobility,” Træen shares. “For me, it almost feels like seeing my first love again. Something that has quietly lived inside me for years, waiting for the right moment,” he describes his move in almost poetic terms. With Torstein’s arrival, the 30-rider roster of Uno-X Mobility for 2026 is complete.
Træen’s cycling career is certainly not a straightforward success story, as in 2022 abnormal blood values were detected during a doping control. After several follow-up tests, the rider was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Following treatment and a rehabilitation period, Træen was declared cured in July of the same year.
