Spain's three-time world champion Oscar Freire will race in May's Giro d'Italia for the first time, Giro organizers said earlier today.

The Rabobank rider has heeded the call of his Dutch team to compete in the world's second biggest stage race, which starts in Amsterdam on May 8, before touring around Italy.

World champion Cadel Evans, new Team Sky rider Bradley Wiggins and former Tour de France winner Carlos Sastre are all committed to race in this year's Giro d'Italia although Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong will instead concentrate on the 2010 Tour de France.