The Tasmanian's 17th and last Grand Tour will be the same one he briefly led in his maiden season on the elite WorldTour.

In 2010, a fresh-faced Porte spent three days in the iconic pink leader's jersey at the Giro d'Italia.

In a result which announced him to the Australian public, the 25-year-old former triathlete went on to finish seventh, win the young rider's classification and catapult himself to a lucrative and highly successful career that would include the next 11 editions of the Tour de France, including a podium finish in 2020.

Having announced he will retire at the end of this season, the Launceston pro returns as a 37-year-old father-of-two for his third assault on a race close to his heart.

"I did my amateur days in Italy and that was like my cycling apprenticeship," he recalled.

"Then I went to the Giro in 2010 as a neo pro and the next thing you know, I wore the pink jersey for three days. That was incredible and still some of the best memories of my career to be honest. It's a privilege to go full circle and finish up at the Giro for my last Grand Tour.

"I'm 37 now but at the end of the day it's just a number isn't it? I know I can perform on my day - obviously off bike I have a family now which changes things but on the bike I'm going as well as I ever have."

Beginning his pro career with mentor Andrew Christie-Johnston's Praties team in 2008-09, Porte rode with Saxo Bank (2010-11) Sky (2012-15), BMC (2016-18) and Trek-Segafredo (2019-20) before returning to IENOS Grenadiers (formerly Sky) for his final two years having amassed 33 major wins.

These include Paris-Nice (2013 and '15), the Tour Down Under (2017 and '20), Critérium du Dauphiné (2021), Tour de Suisse (2018), Tour de Romandie (2017) and Volta a Catalunya (2015).

After 81^st place in 2011 and a DNF in 2015, Porte returns to the Giro in a star-studded line-up headlined by 2019 winner and reigning Olympic champion Richard Carapaz.

He is committed to supporting the Ecuadorian in a team which also features Spanish veteran Jonathan Castroviejo in his 15th Grand Tour, Italian Salvatore Puccio in his ninth Giro, Jhonatan Narvez (Ecuador), Pavel Sivakov (France) and Brits Ben Swift and Ben Tulett.

"Going into this race, we've got a guy in Richard Carapaz who can win this race," Porte added. "It's nice to go there with a rider you like, respect and hopefully help win the race. It's so motivating."

Carapaz added: "A great characteristic strength that we have in this team is that we're all in for winning the Giro d'Italia. Every Grenadier knows this is the goal, we all have that in common and want to deliver. I think when you have a team that is all behind the same goal, and with a team of riders who are so strong, who are ready to help each other, that is a real strength."

Acclimatizing to Italy with a seventh place in the recent Tour of the Alps and fourth in Tirreno-Adriatico in March, Porte also pulled out of Spain's Volta a Catalunya on the second stage with illness.

He is scheduled to end his career at the Tour of Britain in September and was given a healthy wrap on the INEOS website this week.

"Racing his 17th Grand Tour in what is set to be his final season as a professional, Richie will head into the Giro full of focus," the team said. "One of the very best stage racers of his generation, the Tasmanian has a sparkling palmares featuring wins at some of the world's biggest races. Most at home in the high mountains, he knows what it takes to race at the sharp end for three weeks, making him a huge asset to the team."

Peppered with the kind of brutal mountain test synonymous with the Giro, the 21 gruelling stages begin in Budapest on Friday with three days in Hungary before moving to Sicily for the first mountain stage up Mount Etna.

The race ends on May 29 with a 17.4km individual time trial around Verona.

Porte, who has spent the last week fine-tuning his training around his home in neighbouring Monaco, was delighted to receive a timely energy boost in the form of a Vegemite delivery from fellow Aussie Simon Gerrans, who retired in 2018.

"All set for @giroditalia, that should be enough Vegemite to get me through 3436km!" he posted on Instagram.