Armstrong to race in 2009 Tour

He said his comeback is to raise global awareness of the fight against cancer.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lance Armstrong is ready to swear off the chips and salsa, climb back on the bike and win an eighth Tour de France.

Three years after retiring, the 36-year-old says he’ll return to competition and the Tour de France in 2009, giving up relaxed days of a few beers and Tex-Mex food for a self-described monk’s life of disciplined training and punishing races.

In a formal statement Armstrong called his comeback an attempt to raise global awareness in his fight against cancer. Just as likely, it’s also about his relentless desire to compete and win, especially at the Tour, the race he dominated with a record seven titles from 1999-2005.

Citing the slow pace of last year’s Tour and the rush from last month’s Leadville 100 race, Armstrong decided it was time to return.

“This kind of obscure bike race, totally kick-started my engine,” he told Vanity Fair in an exclusive interview, referring to the lung-searing 100-mile mountain bike race through the Colorado Rockies. “I’m going to try and win an eighth Tour de France.”

Armstrong’s riveting victories over cancer and opponents on the bike, his work for cancer awareness and his gossip-page romances have made him a modern-day American icon.

Professional cycling and particularly the Tour have missed Armstrong’s star power, even though skeptics refused to believe he could win without the help of illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

This time, Armstrong’s determined to silence the doubters and try to prove he really is clean.

He’s even hired a video crew to chronicle his training for 2009, as well as his drug tests, for a possible documentary.

“There’s this perception in cycling that this generation is now the cleanest generation we’ve had in decades, if not forever,” said Armstrong, who’s never tested positive.

“And the generation that I raced with was the dirty generation. ... So there is a nice element here where I can come with really a completely comprehensive program and there will be no way to cheat.”

And if he has his way, no way to lose.

“We’re not going to try to win second place,” Bill Stapleton, Armstrong’s lawyer and longtime confidant, told The Associated Press.