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| Lance Armstrong is retiring after this year's
Tour de France, ending a cycling career in which he inspired
millions by overcoming testicular cancer to win his sport's
signature event a record six straight
times. |
Lance Armstrong is retiring after this year's Tour de France, ending a
cycling career in which he inspired millions by overcoming testicular
cancer to win his sport's signature event a record six straight times.
Armstrong said he remains "fully committed" to winning his seventh
straight Tour de France this year and is driven "by that dream to go out
on top. That's a big deal to me."
"It will be the last one, win or lose," the 33-year-old Texan said at a
news conference Monday.
The Tour de France ends on July 24.
Armstrong said he began thinking about retirement
after his victory last year. Spending a month away from his children
recently helped to seal
the decision.
"That was much more difficult that it had been before," he said.
"They are at a stage now where they change daily, if not hourly. It's time
for me to not miss key moments in their lives."
Speculation regarding Armstrong's future had grown in recent months,
fueled by the rider's comments that he wanted to spend more time with his
three children and step up his efforts in raising awareness and funds for
fighting cancer.
"Ultimately, athletes have to retire. The body doesn't just keep
going and going," Armstrong said.
But, Armstrong acknowledged, their competitiveness often does.
He said that while watching a recent cycling race on TV with his
girlfriend, musician Sheryl Crow, he was so stirred by the competition, "I
couldn't sit down the entire race."
Crow then challenged him on his retirement decision.
"She said 'Look at you. You can't even sit down. How are you going to
retire?'" Armstrong said. "It's a great question. I have to tell you I am
100 percent committed and the decision is final."
Still, come next year, Armstrong knows he'll probably want to climb
back onto the bike.
I'll definitely have the itch now and again ," he said.
Monday's announcement came on the eve of Armstrong's defense of his
Tour of Georgia championship. The six-day, 648-mile event he uses as a
training tool for the Tour de France begins Tuesday in Augusta.
Armstrong said the Georgia race could be his last professional
competition in America, though he left open the possibility of racing in
May at another practice event before the Tour de France.
"If there's a good local race, I'm more than happy to jump in," he
said.
Even before the news conference, Tour of Georgia officials already had
been promoting their race as the potential American farewell for
Armstrong.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2005-04-19 08:47
