Chris Froome will start his 2016 season at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour as the reigning Tour de France champion looks to make it another year to remember.

The two-time winner of the world's biggest bike race will become the first Tour de France champion to compete in Australia's oldest stage race, with Team Sky also making their debut at the event.

The 63rd edition of the race will be staged from Wednesday 3rd to Sunday 7th February, as the climax to the summer of cycling. Commencing with a 2.1-kilometre prologue and finishing with a showdown on Arthurs Seat, the event will also ride through the Yarra Valley and Gippsland during the five days.

Froome will make his 2016 season debut in Victoria, using the Jayco Herald Sun Tour as the launch pad for his back-to-back yellow jersey assault at next year's Tour de France.

Froome said: "I'm really pleased to start my 2016 season at the Jayco Herald Sun Tour. Victoria is a beautiful part of the world and racing in the warm climate will give me a good platform for the new season. We don't often get a chance to race in front of our Aussie fans so we're all looking forward to seeing them over there as well."

2016 promises to be a huge year the 30-year-old, with the Tour de France title defence and a tilt at the Rio Olympic Games time trial and road race among the major dates in his calendar.

Froome rode in the 2008 Jayco Herald Sun Tour as a 23-year-old member of the Barloworld team, coming off a debut Tour de France where he rode strongly up Alpe d'Huez and in the final time trial.