Jens Voigt to start cycling season in Tour Down Under

ONE of the world's oldest professional cyclists Jens Voigt will open his 2013 season at the Santos Tour Down Under in South Australia this month.

Jens-Voigt

ONE of the world's oldest professional cyclists Jens Voigt will open his 2013 season at the Santos Tour Down Under in South Australia this month.

The popular German will ride alongside Andy Schleck in the tour as part of the Radioshack Leopard Trek team.

"Ten years ago, I did my first Tour Down Under and I was immediately charmed by the race," Voigt, 41, said.

"It is a nice race, well organised, hard and challenging, but not too hard and that is just what we need at this time of the year.

"On the other hand it is no sprinter's race. It's just perfect and well balanced, that's why I like to come to Adelaide."

Voigt and 2010 Tour de France winner Schleck will be joined by George Bennett (NZ), Laurent Didier (LUX), Ben Hermans (BEL), Tiago Machado (POR) and Jesse Sergent (NZ) for the opening world tour event of the year.

The 2013 Santos Tour Down Under will be raced from January 20- 27.

The opening race is a 51km criterium which is a curtain-raiser to the six-stage tour.