The 24-year-old Foss had his breakthrough in a major stage race at the Giro d’Italia. “Not much has changed after my ninth place in the Giro, only that people pay more attention to you. Cycling is not very big in Norway, so here it is not so bad. It has been a busy period after the Giro. I felt good during the championships in Norway, but I had a hard time in Tokyo”, says Foss, who competed in the time trial and the road race in Japan. “After the Olympics I took a rest. The Tour of Norway is a nice opportunity to start the last part of my season.”

The course is characterised by hilly routes, with the centre of gravity in the first two stages. The riders will have to deal with uphill finishes. The first stage is the toughest, with a finish on a second category climb. The two remaining days are also hilly, but the arrivals are flat. These should also suit Jonas Vingegaard. The Dane is racing his first multi-day race since the Tour de France, where he finished second.

Foss is looking forward to the coming days. “I want to ride in an attacking way. We have a strong team with Jonas and Mike. I want to go for it every day and take the chances I get during the race. The course should suit me. It might be a bit on the easy side, but there are chances and it is always nice to ride in my own country. I hope we will have a strong team performance. In addition, it is special to be able to train and ride in the championship jersey. I can’t wait to start and to show the champion’s jersey to the public. I hope to show myself and I’m going to enjoy every day in the jersey.”