Armstrong returns to Tour of Ireland after 17-year absence
Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong made an emotional
return to the Tour of Ireland for the first time in 17 years on Friday.
Armstrong, a survivor of testicular cancer, will compete in the
three-day event starting Friday before opening a cancer summit organised
by his Foundation at Dublin Castle on Monday.
The 37-year-old American came back to the sport in January after
retiring in 2005 in an attempt "to raise awareness of the global cancer
burden".
"Unless we act on a global level, cancer will be the leading cause of
death by 2010," Armstrong said."The summit provides an invaluable
opportunity to stand up for the 28 million cancer survivors worldwide
and to create a unified effort to control cancer through new commitments
to action." Tour of Ireland director Darach McQuaid said Armstrong can
use the event to promote his cancer message all over the world.
"The Tour of Ireland could not be more proud than to have Lance
Armstrong riding once again on Irish roads in the lead-up to his global
cancer summit," McQuaid said.
Armstrong showed he has lost none of his fierce competitive instincts
by finishing third in this year's Tour de France.
However, Armstrong fell out with Astana team-mate Alberto Contador,
who won the race, and is in the process of forming a new team, called
Team Radioshack, for what will be his final Tour next year.
"We're getting there. We're probably halfway there - a dozen guys,"
he said of his team-building preparations. Armstrong's enduring
popularity is sure to draw big crowds to watch the race judging by the
reaction to his impromptu appearance in Glasgow last week. DUBLIN, AFP
Lance Edward Armstrong
Date of birth: September 18,
1971
Country: United States
Current team: Astana
Amateur teams:
Subaru-Montgomery,
US National Team
Professional teams:
Motorola, Cofidis,
US Postal, Discovery
Channel, Astana
Major wins:
Tour de France (Overall) -
(1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003,
2004, 2005) 22 stages,
World Cycling Champion (1993),
US National Cycling Champion
(1993),
Clásica de San Sebastián (1995),
La Flèche Wallonne (1996),
Tour de Suisse (2001),
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
(2002, 2003)
Medal record:
Competitor for United States-
World Championships -
Gold medal - 1993 Oslo Elite
Men's Road Race
Olympic Games -
Bronze medal 2000 Sydney
(Men's Time Trial)
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