Armstrong announces second retirement

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has announced his retirement from cycling for the second time.

The 39-year-old American, who overcame testicular cancer before his first Tour triumph in 1999, initially quit the sport in 2005 after his record seventh consecutive victory in cycling’s showpiece event.

He announced in September 2008 that he would come out of retirement in a bid to claim an eighth crown in 2009, but has now called time on his career again.

In response to well-wishers on Twitter, he posted: “Thanks for all the messages on retirement 2.0. And thanks for ALL the support the past 2.5 yrs. Onward!”

Armstrong's career has been blighted by accusations of performance-enhancing drug-use, most recently hurled from his former team-mate at the United States Postal Service squad, Floyd Landis, last May.

Landis was stripped of the 2006 Tour title due to elevated levels of testosterone. His claims sparked an investigation which lurked in the shadows of the 2010 Tour.

Armstrong has never failed a doping test and strenuously denies all allegations.

The 39-year-old, who has been struggling with a knee injury since December, placed a creditable third on his return to the Tour in 2009 before declaring it was “time to go home” after finishing his final Tour in 23rd place last July.

His 13th and final Tour was an ill-fated one as the Texan finished almost 40 minutes behind winner Alberto Contador in Paris.

Asked about his emotions that day, Armstrong said: “It was not different to all the other ones.

“I was just glad that three weeks of suffering is over and I get to go home. I don’t have to stress about racing every day.

“I have a lot of happiness, a lot of good memories, just a lot of good times here.

“This race has been good to me. I hope that I’ve been good to the race.

“(But) I can’t lie – I’m ready to retire part two.”