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Armstrong to Seek Seventh Straight Tour de France Win
(Bloomberg) -- Lance Armstrong today said he would compete for a record-extending seventh straight victory in this year's Tour de France, cycling's most prestigious race.
Armstrong, a 33-year-old Texan, will begin his season in next month's seven-day Paris-Nice race, his Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team said on its Web site. He'll compete in Belgium's Tour of Flanders on April 3 and head to the U.S. for the Tour de Georgia -- an event he won in 2004 -- from April 19.
``I am excited to get back on the bike and start racing although my condition is far from perfect,'' Armstrong said in a statement.
Armstrong, who overcame cancer before his first Tour win in 1999, last year surpassed Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain as five-time winners of the 102-year- old event. He completed the three-week race six minutes and 38 seconds ahead of Germany's Andreas Kloden, picking up a career- best five stage victories along the way.
Until today, Armstrong had declined to commit to hauling himself the 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) from the Vendee region on France's Atlantic coast to the Champs-Elysees in Paris. His contract with Discovery, which took over sponsoring the team when U.S. Postal Service pulled out last year, required he competed in 2005 or 2006.
Tour de France organizer Amaury Sport Organisation didn't immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
Tougher Challenge?
Johan Bruyneel, the team manager, will assess Armstrong's physical condition before deciding whether to add more races to his calendar this season, Team Discovery said.
The 92nd edition of the Tour de France starts July 2. This year's 21-stage course features fewer mountain finishes and shorter individual time trials than normal -- events that Armstrong tends to dominate.
There'll be one mountain finish in the Alps and two in the Pyrenees, while the longer of the two races against the clock is scheduled for the second-last day. Armstrong recorded three straight stage wins in the Alps last year and has eight victories in the past 11 Tour de France time trials.
Armstrong was named The Associated Press male athlete of the year for a third straight year in 2004.
(Bloomberg) -- Lance Armstrong today said he would compete for a record-extending seventh straight victory in this year's Tour de France, cycling's most prestigious race.
Armstrong, a 33-year-old Texan, will begin his season in next month's seven-day Paris-Nice race, his Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team said on its Web site. He'll compete in Belgium's Tour of Flanders on April 3 and head to the U.S. for the Tour de Georgia -- an event he won in 2004 -- from April 19.
``I am excited to get back on the bike and start racing although my condition is far from perfect,'' Armstrong said in a statement.
Armstrong, who overcame cancer before his first Tour win in 1999, last year surpassed Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain as five-time winners of the 102-year- old event. He completed the three-week race six minutes and 38 seconds ahead of Germany's Andreas Kloden, picking up a career- best five stage victories along the way.
Until today, Armstrong had declined to commit to hauling himself the 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles) from the Vendee region on France's Atlantic coast to the Champs-Elysees in Paris. His contract with Discovery, which took over sponsoring the team when U.S. Postal Service pulled out last year, required he competed in 2005 or 2006.
Tour de France organizer Amaury Sport Organisation didn't immediately respond to a call seeking comment.
Tougher Challenge?
Johan Bruyneel, the team manager, will assess Armstrong's physical condition before deciding whether to add more races to his calendar this season, Team Discovery said.
The 92nd edition of the Tour de France starts July 2. This year's 21-stage course features fewer mountain finishes and shorter individual time trials than normal -- events that Armstrong tends to dominate.
There'll be one mountain finish in the Alps and two in the Pyrenees, while the longer of the two races against the clock is scheduled for the second-last day. Armstrong recorded three straight stage wins in the Alps last year and has eight victories in the past 11 Tour de France time trials.
Armstrong was named The Associated Press male athlete of the year for a third straight year in 2004.