Greipel to ride Down Under

Adelaide - German Andre Greipel will bid to win a third Tour Down Under in Australia next month, riding with the Lotto Belisol team, organisers said on Friday.

Greipel has won 14 stages of the Tour Down Under, including three in the last event in Adelaide in January.

Greipel won the TDU in 2008 and 2010 and spearheads the Belgian team which includes Belgian Jens Debusschere -- winner of the 2013 Tour de l'Eurometropole -- and Australian Adam Hansen, winner of a stage at this year's Giro d'Italia.

"In 2014 it will be my seventh attendance in a row. The race has become a bit tougher each year, but I see three opportunities to sprint in this edition. The aim is a stage victory," Greipel said.

Australia's Cadel Evans, the 2011 Tour de France overall winner, will also be competing in his home tour for the BMC Racing Team.

The six-stage UCI World Tour event will be raced in and around Adelaide, South Australia, from January 19 to 26.