Armstrong to ride in 2005 Tour de France

Six-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong confirmed yesterday that he would take part in this year's race.

The American's 2005 racing schedule, announced by his Discovery Channel team, includes the Tour de France, next month's Paris-Nice classic, the Tour of Flanders and the Tour of Georgia in the United States.

"I look forward to achieving my goal of a seventh Tour de France (victory)," Armstrong, who claimed an unprecedented sixth title last year, told the Discovery Channel website.

"I am excited to get back on the bike and start racing although my condition is far from perfect.

"We will evaluate my fitness later this spring and possibly add some races to the calendar."

The chairman of the company which organises the Tour de France, Jean-Marie Leblanc, was pleased that Armstrong had decided to have another go at the world's most gruelling cycling race.

"I knew that under the contract between Lance and his new sponsor Discovery Channel he would have to race in the Tour at least one more time, either in 2005 or in 2006," Leblanc said.

"Lance has decided to take up the challenge now which is good."

Armstrong won six stages, including the team time trial, on his way to last year's triumph and was barely challenged, except by Italian Ivan Basso in the Alps stages.

Armstrong, who survived testicular cancer before his six victories, has won 23 stages in the Tour de France since first taking part in 1993.