Cyclist Freire to lead Katusha at Tour Down Under

Three-time world champion Oscar Freire will lead the Russian-registered Team Katusha in Australia's Tour Down Under in January, organisers said on Wednesday. Race Director Mike Turtur said he was excited that Freire would be taking part in the January 15-22 race around the Adelaide area. "Spaniard Oscar Freire has accomplished what only legends like Alfredo Binda, Eddy Merckx and Rik Van Steenbergen have been able to do: win three road race world championships (1999, 2001, 2004)," Turtur said. "His other impressive results include winning the Milan-San Remo three times (2004, 2007 and 2010) as well as several Grand Tour stages." Freire is a four-time Tour de France stage winner, a winner of the Tour de France Green Jersey (2008) and a winner of seven stages of Vuelta a Espana. Team Katusha's strong line-up will also include fellow Spaniard Xavier Florencio, who finished seventh overall in the 2003 Tour Down Under. Team Katusha's team for the 2012 Tour Down Under: Maxim Belkov (RUS), Giampaolo Caruso (ITA), Xavier Florencio (ESP), Oscar Freire (ESP), Luca Paolini (ITA), Gatis Smukulis (LAT) and Eduard Vorganov (RUS)