Strong roster already committed to Giro d'Italia

Lance Armstrong — at 7 Tour de France championships — will be joined by a host of cycling champions at the 2009 Giro d'Italia.

Carlos Sastre, last year's Tour de France winner, has signed on for the Giro, and Denis Menchov, winner of the Vuelta a Espana in 2005 and 2007 also announced his intention to compete.

Five Giro d'Italia champions are returning this year. They are Gilberto Simoni (two Giro wins), and Ivan Basso, Damiano Cunego, Danilo Di  Luca and Stefano Garzelli, all with one win.

Last year's Giro winner, Alberto Contador, is sitting out the Giro this year to rest up for the Tour de France. Contador and Armstrong are on the same team — Astana.

This will be Armstrong's first Giro d'Italia, which rolls out May 9 to May 31.