Armstrong’s Tour bid

Lance Armstrong yesterday confirmed he will race in this year’s Tour de France and aim for a seventh straight win.

There was speculation, fuelled by the Texan, that Armstrong would skip the race which made his name in favour of cycling’s other landmark events.

However, the 34-year-old has announced he will compete this year after a strong performance in the 2004 edition when he became the first man to win six Tours.

He said: “I am grateful for the opportunity that Discovery Communications has given the team and look forward to achieving my goal of a seventh Tour de France victory.”