CYCLING: Lance Armstrong ended speculation about his participation in this year's Tour de France by confirming that he will attempt a seventh straight victory. When Discovery took over as his team's new sponsors from US Postal, who financed his first six Tours, it was part of the deal that he would do another Tour. The big question was when.

The Texan had hinted before yesterday he would miss the 2005 event. "I am grateful for the opportunity that Discovery Communications has given the team and look forward to achieving my goal of a seventh Tour de France (victory)," said the 34-year-old who is the first man to win six Tours.

This summer's Tour, on July 2nd-24th, will have 21 stages and cover 3,584 kilometres (2,222 miles). The mountain-top finishes are less intense and the time-trials shorter. Armstrong has excelled in both disciplines in the past.

The changes may mean he will have fewer opportunities to take huge chunks of time off his rivals. However, there were similar fears in 2004 that the route might work against the champion but he adjusted well.

After his record-breaking Tour exploits in 2004 it was believed Armstrong would set his sights on some of cycling's other landmarks, including the world hour record, held by Chris Boardman.

Armstrong had given an impression he might wait until next year before fulfilling his obligation to Discovery and race in the Giro d'Italia or the Vuelta a Espana instead of the Tour.

Those expectations were quashed yesterday when he revealed his provisional plans for 2005. He will start the season with the seven-day Paris-Nice race next month, the first event of the newly formed Pro Tour, as was initially confirmed.

"I am excited to get back on the bike and start racing although my condition is far from perfect," said Armstrong. "Johan (Bruyneel, the team's sports manager) and I will evaluate my fitness later this spring and possibly add some races to the calendar."

The chairman of the company which organises the Tour de France, Jean-Marie Leblanc, was pleased that Armstrong had decided to have another go at the world's most gruelling cycling race.

"I knew that under the contract between Lance and his new sponsor Discovery Channel he would have to race in the Tour at least one more time, either in 2005 or in 2006," Leblanc said.

"Lance has decided to take up the challenge now which is good." Armstrong won six stages, including the team time trial, on his way to last year's triumph and was barely challenged, except by Italian Ivan Basso in the Alps stages.

"I love Tour de France events which are open, with no clear favourite, but having one again is going to be exciting," Leblanc added. "I've had contacts with (Discovery Channel team manager) Johan Bruyneel a few days ago which led me think that things were changing in our favour," Leblanc said.

"Johan said that Lance wanted to enter either the Criterium, the Dauphine Libere or the Tour of Switzerland to prepare for the Tour de France." Armstrong, who survived testicular cancer before his six victories, has won 23 stages in the Tour de France since first taking part in 1993.