Tour de France winner Froome to ride in Australia Day race

Britain’s Chris Froome celebrates. (Christophe Ena/AP)

MELBOURNE, Australia — Tour de France champion Chris Froome will join the field in a new Australia Day cycling race to be held on Melbourne’s Formula One circuit on Jan. 26.

The three-time Tour winner will lead Team Sky in the race on the Albert Park track.

The men’s and women’s events will lead into the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Geelong, near Melbourne, on the weekend of Jan. 28-29.

Organizers also confirmed at Wednesday’s race announcement that 13 of the 19 men’s WorldTour teams will compete at Albert Park and in the Cadel Evans event.

Australian Simon Gerrans and Colombian Esteban Chavez are confirmed for the Orica-Scott team.

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