Chris Froome to ride with Richie Porte at Tasmanian race in December

Chris Froome will return from the off-season with an appearance alongside Sky teammate Richie Porte at the Stan Siejka Launceston Cycling Classic in Tasmania, on December 6-7.

Froome's last appearance at a race was at the Saitama Criterium in Japan in late October, and will support Porte in the elite men's events on his home island.

"We are excited and honoured to not only have Richie support and race at his home event again," said race director Nigel Baker.

"But to also have a Grand Tour winner in Chris Froome racing is a massive coup.”

Porte, who helped Froome to his Tour de France victory in 2013, will race the Brit in the Kermese on the first day of the event, before racing in the main criterium on the evening of the second day.

Many of the elite domestic teams from Australia are set to feature in the crit race, with a field of around 100 riders expected, while there will also be elite women's events with teams Orica-AIS and Wiggle-Honda already confirmed.

Last year the event was one by Caleb Ewan of Orica-GreenEDGE, with Lauren Kitchen of Wiggle-Honda taking the win in the women's race.

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