Armstrong plans to race the Tour

Lance Armstrong announced Monday that he intends to compete in the 2009 Tour de France. Armstrong let his fans know the news via his "Twitter" feed from the team Astana training camp on Tenerife in the Canary Islands.

When Armstrong first revealed his intended comeback, he was clear that an eighth Tour de France victory was in his plans. His return to the Astana squad caused some tension with 2007 Tour champion Alberto Contador, who was favoured to lead the team in next July's event after taking wins in the 2008 Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España.

Armstrong then announced he would race the Giro d'Italia, and began to express doubts about whether or not he would race the Tour de France. Concerns over his safety on French roads also led to uncertainty over his participation.

The Associated Press reached Armstrong by telephone, where the seven-time Tour champion admitted that his commitment to racing the Giro d'Italia in May could leave him too fatigued to act as team leader in the July Tour.

"I'm committed to riding for the best guy," Armstrong said, reiterating statements he made earlier this year after he announced his return to the sport.

Cyclingnews' complete coverage of Lance Armstrong's comeback