Giro d’Italia stage winner Maxim Belkov will return to the Santos Tour Down Under with Russian cycling team Katusha. The 29-year old Belkov, who has birthday today, will be joined by former Russian Road Race Champion Eduard Vorganov.

After competing at the Santos Tour Down Under since 2009 Katusha failed to gain UCI Pro Team status until February 2013 and missed this year’s race. The team did receive their UCI Pro Team status after taking the case to the international sports trial, CAS. Santos Tour Down Under Race Director Mike Turtur says Katusha would be looking for a good result following their absence in 2013.

“Katusha always come to the Santos Tour Down Under with a strong team and after a year away from the race they will want a good start to the 2014 season,” Mr Turtur said, “Belkov showed his strength when he attacked on the descent of stage nine of the 2013 Giro D’Italia and held on to take the stage.”

“Katusha are also bringing Aleksandr Porsev who won the first stage of the 2013 Tour of Luxembourg, so we can expect a strong performance from the Russian team,” he said.

The seven-man roster includes six Russian cyclists as well as Austrian Marco Haller. The Katusha team competing at the 2014 Santos Tour Down Under will be led by manager Dmitry Konyshev and includes riders:

Maxim Belkov, Marco Haller, Mikhail Ignatiev, Pavel Kochetkov, Egor Silin, Aleksandr Porsev and Eduard Vorganov.