Trek-Segafredo leader Richie Porte will return to the Tour Down Under in 2020. Accompanying Porte will be Mads Pedersen, the recently crowned road racing world champion, who will be competing in the event for the third time.

Porte has won the "Queen Stage" to Willunga Hill on six previous occasions. Pedersen, meanwhile, will support the Australian team leader, hoping for a stage win from a breakaway or group sprint.

"Ritchie is a great racer with a history of competing in the Santos Tour Down Under and we expect another impressive performance next year," race director Mike Turture said in a press release.

"And it is a great honor for us to welcome the current World Champion to ride in South Australia in the rainbow jersey. Mads is a world class rider and we can't wait to see what he can do at the start of the World Tour next year," said Turtur.

Trek-Segafredo's remaining seven-member men's team will be announced closer to the start of the competition. The men's race will be held in and around Adelaide from January 21-26, preceded by the Schwalbe Classic Criterium, which will be held alone in central Adelaide on January 19.

Porte and Pedersen are currently attending a team training camp in Siracusa, Sicily, Italy, during which the athletes' race program was decided and announced. Porte will return to Europe and compete in Paris-Nice as part of his preparation for co-leading the Tour de France with Bauke Mollema.

Pedersen will make his Tour de France debut next year, but will first target the spring cobbled classics following the Tour Down Under.