Two talented Norwegian riders will make their Grand Tour debuts on Sunday the Vuelta a Espana: Odd Christian Eiking of FDJ and Katusha’s Sven Erik Bystrom.

Both riders spoke with Cyclingnews after finishing the Arctic Race of Norway, where Eiking was fifth on GC and Bystrom helped friend Alexander Kristoff take a stage.

"After a lot of work at the front of the peloton, the shape should be good for the Vuelta", Bystrøm said. "At the training camp in December, it was already decided that I'd go for Vuelta, which is a great Grand Tour to start with. I had some knee injuries at the beginning of the season, and also a bad crash at Tour de Yorkshire so we had to reschedule a few races, but since the pre-Olympics training camp with the national team, my progression is very good."

Eiking, who also took part in the national team training camp in Livigno, Italy, only decided he wanted to do the race recently.

"I really wanted to do the Vuelta," the rider from Bergen explained. "To ride a Grand Tour is a little dream and a little goal and I'm not sure if the Giro is as good for a neo pro. Maybe I could have waited for one more year but the staff at FDJ was pleased to hear that I felt ready to do it now.”