Lance Armstrong back in TDF

2008-09-08 22:36

Los Angeles - American cyclist Lance Armstrong will come out of retirement and bid for an eighth Tour de France title in 2009, VeloNews reported on its website on Monday.

Armstrong, who will turn 37 on September 18, is poised to join the Astana team and compete in five road races, according to a report that cited "sources familiar with the developing situation."

According to VeloNews, Armstrong will compete in the Amgen Tour of California, Paris-Nice, the Tour de Georgia, the Dauphine-Libere and the Tour de France, racing for no salary or bonuses.

In August, Armstrong competed in his first major cycling event since 2005, finishing second in the Leadville Trail 100 in Colorado.

"It's the first time in three years that I've done seven hours of cycling," said Armstrong of the tough, single-day mountain bike race.

The Texan's return to road racing is to be the centrepiece of a story in the upcoming issue of Vanity Fair magazine, to be published later this month, according to VeloNews.

Armstrong, who was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, rebounded from the disease to win seven straight Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005.

Since his retirement, Armstrong has run in a pair of the New York City Marathons along with the Boston Marathon.

Armstrong has also vigorously battled accusations of doping that have swirled in the wake of his unprecedented run in the world's most prestigious cycling race.

- SAPA