SYDNEY, Dec 19, 2008 (AFP) – Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance
Armstrong’s Astana team roster for next month’s Tour Down Under in Australia
includes three riders from the 2008 Giro d’Italia, organisers said Friday.

Also riding for Astana as Armstrong makes his return to professional
cycling is Jose Luis Ruberia who rode in five of the Texan’s Tour de
France-winning teams.

“We all know that Lance Armstrong is a champion, but the rest of his Astana
team mates heading Down Under should not be underestimated,” race director
Mike Turtur said.

Assan Bazayev, Steve Morabito and Maxim Iglinskiy finished seventh on Stage
1 of the 2008 Giro d’Italia for the Kazakh-backed, Luxembourg-based Astana.
Team rider Alberto Contador, who will not be taking part in Tour Down Under,
won the event overall.

“With experienced Grand Tour riders like Bazayev, Morabito, Iglinskiy and
Ruberia, I predict fierce competition from Astana from day one,” Turtur said.

The full rider roster for Astana for the Tour Down Under is Lance
Armstrong, Assan Bazayev, Jesus Hernandez, Michael Schar, Maxim Iglinskiy,
Steve Morabito and Jose Luis Rubiera.

In September, Armstrong announced he would race in 2009 with Astana.

The 37-year-old said then he would start with January’s Tour Down Under in
Australia and close the season with the Tour de France in July, which he won
seven times before retiring in 2005.

The Tour Down Under, raced around Adelaide’s environs, runs from January
18-25.