The UCI is boasting the green credentials of a race sponsored by host country's largest oil company – how environmentally friendly is ‘The Green Breakaway’?
The UCI praises the Arctic Race of Norway’s pioneering use of electric vehicles. However, as Matt Rendell reports, that’s not even half the story
The Arctic Race of Norway (ARN), marketed as "The Green Breakaway," is touted by its organizers as a pioneering green event, but its environmental credentials are complicated by its sponsorship by Equinor, Norway's largest oil and gas company. The 2024 race, won by Magnus Cort, saw temperatures averaging 25°C, the hottest on record for Arctic Norway.
The 2025 edition took place during the country's most severe heatwave on record, with temperatures in Rjukan and Drammen peaking at 33°C. Despite these facts, ARN achieved certification from Norway's Eco-Lighthouse organization in 2021 and is one of the 80 founding signatories of the UCI Climate Action Charter. The race's transport, including an electric fleet, reflects Norway's unique market conditions where 96% of new cars are fully electric.
However, the race still needed 92 diesel vans and heavy vehicles, 690 flights, and 18 speedboat trips. The portrayal of ARN as a green event contrasts with the sponsorship by Equinor, which exports oil and gas causing 280 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. The UCI has not highlighted Equinor's sponsorship, and the 2026 race's website avoids mentioning Equinor, instead describing the sponsor as "an international energy company committed to a low-carbon future."
This raises questions about the alignment of professional cycling with its role in addressing the global climate crisis and the UCI's current progress in enforcing carbon neutrality by 2030.
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