Freire will race full calendar for 2012

Oscar Freire is eager to put 2011 behind him and bring in at least one more good season before retiring. The Spaniard, who will ride for Katusha in 2012, will therefore ride a fuller schedule in the coming year, according to BiciCiclismo.

Freire had only two individual wins last season, both of them stages at the Ruta del Sol in February. He continued to be plagued by nasal and sinus problems, which have held him out of racing much of the last few seasons. He left Rabobank after nine years with bitterness.

In his desire to return to the form which brought him three World Championships and a win at Milano-San Remo, the Spaniard will ride a full schedule, including much of the Spring Classics season. His main priorities will be the Tour de France, Olympic games and world championships. Freire will not ride he Vuelta a Espana in 2012.

Oscar Freire's race schedule for the first part of 2012:

Tour Down Under (January 17-22), Vuelta a Andalucía-Ruta del Sol (February 19-23), Strade Bianche (March 3), Tirreno-Adriatico (March 7 -13), Milan-San Remo (March 17), E3 Prijs Vlaanderen-Harelbeke (March 23), Ghent-Wevelgem (March 25), Tour of Flanders (April 1), Rund um Köln (April 9), Amstel Gold Race (April 15) La Flèche Wallonne (April 18), Liege-Bastogne-Liege (April 22), Bayern Rundfhart (May 23-27), Tour de Suisse (June 9-17), Spanish national championship, Tour de France (June 30-July 22) and London Olympics (July 28).