PARIS, Feb. 16 (UPI) -- Lance Armstrong announced Wednesday he will participate in this year's Tour de France.
The six-time tour winner said the competition will be part of his 2005 schedule.
There had been whispers he would skip the event this year, returning in 2006 or possibly retiring. Now, the cancer survivor will be gunning for an unprecedented seventh straight tour victory.
"I look forward to achieving my goal of a seventh Tour de France victory," Armstrong said on fan Web site The Paceline and the Team Discover Web site, sponsored by Discovery Communications.
"I am excited to get back on the bike and start racing, although my condition is far from perfect," Armstrong said.
The Austin, Texas, native is the only man to ever win the Tour de France six times. He will ride for the Discovery Channel, which has replaced the U.S. Postal Service as his sponsor.
