Champion cyclist Lance Armstrong has revealed that he will launch his new Radio Shack team at the Tour Down Under next January.
Armstrong made his comeback to professional cycling at this year's Tour in South Australia before going on to ride the European road season, where he finished third in the Tour de France.
News that the seven-time Tour de France winner was returning to South Australia was welcomed by South Australian Premier Mike Rann.
"Getting Lance Armstrong to Adelaide makes economic sense," he said.
"It also means all around the world, people are getting fantastic vision of some tourism icons like the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula, the city itself, and of course for the first time next year, the Clare Valley."
The SA Government has confirmed it will pay Armstrong for appearing.
This year's race visit attracted huge crowds and media exposure for the race.
Mr Rann says paying the Tour de France winner is worth it, but he will not divulge the sum involved.
"We don't discuss that because every single cyclist that comes gets fees and things and you don't want to get into some kind of a bidding war," he said.
"It's a huge bang-for-buck and I guess, as I'm saying, hundreds of millions of people watching fantastic scenes of South Australia."
Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur says the new team Radio Shack will be one to beat in next year's event.
Turtur says it will include a number of Armstrong's current Astana team-mates and other high-profile riders.
"I think he'll take the greater majority from Astana," he said.
"It's already been reported that several riders are going with him. George Hincapie is leaving Columbia and we suspect that he's going to Radio Shack, so he's going to have a very strong team built around being ready for the Tour de France."
Oil and gas producer Santos has signed to be naming rights sponsor until 2013, but says its support had not hinged on confirmation that Armstrong would return to Adelaide.
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