Richie Porte will front Team Sky's bid for glory at the Giro d'Italia.

The 30-year-old Australian, who has won Paris-Nice, Volta a Catalunya and Giro del Trentino this season, will lead a nine-man team during a competition which begins in San Lorenzo on May 9.

Porte's squad features the Italian duo Salvatore Puccio and Elia Viviani, alongside Bernhard Eisel, Sebastian Henao, Vasil Kiryienka, Leopold Konig, Mikel Nieve and Kanstantsin Siutsou.

Porte said: "The Giro d'Italia has been my main goal of the season. I've worked very hard through the winter and am entering the race strong, healthy and up for the challenge.

"The competition will be tough, and obviously anything can happen in a Grand Tour, but we've got a great group of riders going into the race and we are ready for it."

Team principal Sir Dave Brailsford added: "Team Sky has had a great start to the year and we are going into the first Grand Tour of the season with a strong team, led by Richie. Richie is entering the race in good shape and with real focus and determination. He's made a lot of small changes across a number of areas in his preparation and training this season after the illness that affected his performance in 2014.

"His results this season speak for themselves with excellent wins at Paris-Nice, Volta a Catalunya and Giro del Trentino. This is one of the biggest and toughest races to win in the calendar but we go to the Giro confident about the challenge ahead."