On Thursday, the second edition of the Arctic Race of Norway will start with a stronger field than it had for the ianugural edition. Defending champion Thor Hushovd, local hero Alexander Kristoff and sprint king Marcel Kittel are all ready to tackle a course that is a lot tougher than it was 12 months ago.

Ready to set the ice on fire, Marcel Kittel (Team Giant-Shimano) will line up at the start of the second edition of the Arctic Race of Norway next Thursday (14-17 August). With his confidence high after four stage wins in the Tour de France 2014, the German rider will face a tough test from the revelation Alexander Kristoff (Team Katusha) and the idol of the North, Thor Hushovd (BMC Racing Team), the last winner of the event and certainly not inclined to give up his crown.
 
The tough route will represent a serious challenge to the pure sprinters, so the punchers will also make their presence felt. If the Belgians Tom Van Asbroeck (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise), Kevin Seeldrayers (Wanty-Groupe Gobert) or Sébastien Delfosse (Wallonie-Bruxelles) will have a part to play, Simon Spilak(Team Katusha), Jan Barta (Team Netapp-Endura), Amaël Moinard (BMC) or Martin Elmiger (IAM Cycling) will also need to deploy their experience against the emerging young Norwegian riders who are determined to make their mark on the spectacular roads that lead to North Cape. 

Sven Erik Byström (Team Katusha), Oskar Svendsen (Team Joker) or Vegard Stake Laengen (Bretagne-Séché Environnement) will have to show that they can be prophets in their own land, by confirming the hopes placed in them despite their youth. As for Tormod Hausken Jacobsen (Team Øster Hus-Ridley), the current Norwegian champion, he will have a few ideas about standing on the top of the podium  for his 21st birthday on 17th August in Tromsø. Like their countryman Lars-Petter Nordhaug (Belkin Pro Cycling), who returns this year determined to fight for the final victory and the best climber’s red jersey he won in the 2013 edition, the ‘Vikings’ are resolutely bent on fighting it out hard on their roads.
 
20 Teams, main contenders
                                 
Belgium
Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise : Van Asbroeck (Bel)
Wanty - Groupe Gobert : Seeldrayers (Bel), Napolitano (Ita)
Wallonie - Bruxelles : Delfosse (Bel)
                     
France       
Bretagne-Séché Environnement : Laengen (Nor), Sepulveda (Arg)
Cofidis, Solutions Crédits : Sénéchal (Fra)
Roubaix Lille Metropole : Vantomme (Bel)
                       
Germany
Team Netapp-Endura : Barta (Cze), Bennett (Irl)
 
Italy
Cannondale : Gatto (Ita)
 
Netherlands
Belkin Pro Cycling : Nordhaug (Nor), Clement (Ned), Hivert (Fra), Kruijswijk (Ned)
Team Giant-Shimano : Kittel (Ger), Ahlstrand (Swe)
 
Norway
Team Fixit.no : Eidsheim (Nor)
Team Joker : Svendsen (Nor)
Team Øster Hus-Ridley : Hausken-Jacobsen (Nor)
Team Ringeriks – Kraft : Olsson (Swe)
Team Sparebanken Sør : Nilsen Hoem (Nor), Skjølstad Lunke (Nor)
 
Russia
Team Katusha : Kristoff (Nor), Byström (Nor), Spilak (Slo)
 
South Africa
MTN – Qhubeka : Reimer (Ger)
 
Switzerland
IAM Cycling : Lövkvist (Swe), Elmiger (Sui), Hinault (Fra), Holst Enger (Nor)
 
United States
BMC Racing Team : Hushovd (Nor), Moinard (Fra)
UnitedHealthcare Professional Cycling Team: Forster (Ger)