New Zealand cyclists Hayden Roulston and Julian Dean have been selected by their professional road teams to contest the Tour of Spain starting this weekend.
Both veteran riders were overlooked for the London Olympic Games, where New Zealand's two berths were filled by Greg Henderson and Jack Bauer.
It was a welcome callup for Roulston, who was originally named as a reserve for the 22-day Tour by his RadioShack Nissan team.
"After having missed the Tour [de France], then the Olympics I felt I deserved something," Roulston said on his personal website.
"When I was told I was going though, I felt like a kid in a lollie shop.
"It was great news, knowing the training I did over the last three weeks has now been rewarded with a start in a grand tour."
Dean's year was badly disrupted when he broke his leg during the Tour of Catalunya in Spain in March.
His man role will be as sprint lead-out rider for his Orica-GreenEDGE teammate Allan Davis.
The gruelling Tour begins with a team time trial in Pamplona on Saturday.
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