Preliminary rosters for Giro d'Italia announced

This year's Giro d'Italia will feature three former champions, but not 2009 winner Denis Menchov of Rabobank. Race organiser RCS released the preliminary start lists of the 22 invited teams on Thursday. Each team could nominate up to 15 riders.

On the list are three Giro champions, Stefano Garzelli (Acqua & Sapone), Ivan Basso (Liquigas) and Damiano Cunego (Lampre). Also nominated are Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre (Cervélo) and Vuelta a España champion Alexander Vinokourov (Astana).

World champions Oscar Freire (Rabobank), Cadel Evans (BMC) and Alessandro Ballan (BMC) are also on the list.

Other top names include Bradley Wiggins (Sky), Linus Gerdemann (Milram), Alexander Efimkin (AG2R) and Marzio Bruseghin (Caisse d'Epargne).

A number of top sprinters will battle it out, including Andre Greipel (HTC-Columbia), Alessandro Petacchi (Lampre), Freire, Tyler Farrar (Garmin), Robbie McEwen (Katusha), and Daniele Bennati (Liquigas).

Menchov had announced in January that he would skip the Giro this year and concentrate on the Tour de France.