Frank Schleck to make return to cycling at 2014 Santos Tour Down Under

FRANK Schleck will make his comeback to international cycling at the Santos Tour Down Under in Adelaide.

FRANK Schleck will make his long-awaited comeback to international cycling at the Santos Tour Down Under in Adelaide in January.

The 33-year-old Luxembourger who finished third in the 2011 Tour de France will headline new-look team Trek Factory Racing alongside new Australian signing Calvin Watson in the WorldTour season opener from January 19-26.

But brother Andy will not be returning to Adelaide after making his TDU debut this year, and will instead attend a team training camp in Spain.

Frank has not raced his bike at the top level since withdrawing from the 2012 Tour de France and later being handed a one-year ban for testing positive to banned diuretic Xipamide.

But the Tour de Suisse and Amstel Gold champion is determined to get back to his best, starting in South Australia in the new year.

"First of all I wanted to start (the season) straight away, so I had the option between Argentina and Australia, and Australia has a big passion and commitment for cycling, there are great people over there who love cycling and that's why I am really excited to go there," Schleck last night told News Limited.

"Andy told me a lot about it, he said it's (a) great organised (race), it's really warm though and you've got to fight the heat and jet lag but he said you will enjoy the race, and I checked the parcours and they made it hillier and harder so I'm looking forward to it.

"The team also wanted me to go to Australia to represent a strong team and I strongly believe I will be all right, I will do my best to get a nice result."

Schleck won't feel like a neo pro but after such a long break from racing, will be excited to get back into it.

"The first race of the season, there are going to be a lot of guys who are going to be fresh," he said.

"Definitely I'm not going to feel like a neo pro but I'll be excited and happy to race again.

"So I will have to call on all my experience not to go crazy, but it's going to be good."

Schleck attended a Trek Factory Racing team camp last week which was the first formal gathering of the new WorldTour outfit.

"We're going to have Classics riders supporting Fabian, riders supporting myself and Andy for the big tours, we have some guys for the Giro, the Vuelta, so we have a very good mix," he said.

A superstar field is being assembled for next year's TDU with Australians Cadel Evans and Richie Porte also set to be on the start line.