Uno-X Mobility will turn back the clock at this year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège, swapping their familiar red and yellow kit for the legendary green, white, and red of the 7-Eleven team. In a one-off tribute, both the men’s and women’s squads will race under the 7-Eleven name to honour the American team’s impact on cycling and celebrate sponsor Reitan’s links to the convenience store chain.
The change marks the 40th anniversary of the 7-Eleven team’s European debut at the Monuments and ties in with Eddy Merckx’s upcoming 80th birthday. The Belgian legend supplied bikes to the original 7-Eleven team during its later years, and the Uno-X Mobility riders will ride special red and green Ridley Noah Fast bikes provided by Belgian Cycling Factory, which owns the Eddy Merckx brand.
“This is more than a limited edition bike or jersey — it’s a heartfelt tribute to Eddy Merckx for his 80th birthday and to the legacy he’s built over eight incredible decades,” said Frank Symons, marketing director at Belgian Cycling Factory. “By bringing the iconic 7-Eleven team back to life at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, together with Uno-X Mobility and our amazing partners, we’re reviving a piece of cycling history in a way that’s never been done before.”
Alongside the kit and bike changes, helmets from Sweet Protection, gloves from GripGrab, and the OSPW systems from CeramicSpeed will all receive retro makeovers to complete the throwback look.
A personal moment for Hushovd
Uno-X Mobility general manager Thor Hushovd shared the emotional significance of the tribute, drawing a direct line between his own cycling inspiration and the event.
“Team 7-Eleven was a legendary team,” Hushovd said. “My own cycling journey started watching Dag Otto — also from Grimstad — win Norway’s first Tour de France stage in that jersey. Seeing our riders wear it now is truly something special.”
Dag Otto Lauritzen, the man who became a national hero with that 1987 Tour stage victory for 7-Eleven, will be present on Sunday in an honorary sports director role, further reinforcing the historic and personal resonance for the Norwegian squad.
Celebrating a pioneering team
The original 7-Eleven team, founded by Jim Ochowicz, made its mark on cycling during the 1980s and early 1990s. They were the first American squad to ride both the Tour de France and a full European season, setting the stage for future American involvement in the sport.
Notable achievements included Andy Hampsten’s 1988 Giro d’Italia win after a heroic ride over the snowy Passo Gavia, Davis Phinney’s Tour de France stage win in 1986, and Alex Stieda’s brief stint in the yellow jersey. Even after Motorola took over sponsorship in 1991, the groundwork laid by 7-Eleven’s early European exploits remained a source of inspiration.
While alternate kits for special races are becoming increasingly common — Lotto and Visma-Lease a Bike have already done so at the Tour of Flanders this year — Uno-X Mobility’s rebrand to 7-Eleven stands out for its depth of meaning. It goes beyond marketing flair, tying together corporate connections, national pride, and a nod to one of cycling’s greatest champions.
The race at Liège-Bastogne-Liège will thus not only be a battle across the Ardennes hills but also a moving celebration of the past, with Magnus Cort, Anouska Koster, and their teammates bringing a little piece of cycling history back into the modern peloton.
