Lance Armstrong insists ‘age is a wives' tale’ and feels as fit as ever after confirming he will come out of retirement and bid to become the oldest winner in the history of the Tour de France.
The 36-year-old won the last of his titles back in 2005 before quitting the sport, but has told Vanity Fair magazine he will go for number eight in the 2009 Tour.
Armstrong said: ‘I'm going back to professional cycling.
‘I'm going to try and win an eighth Tour de France.’
Armstrong won his first Tour de France in 1999, less than three years after being diagnosed with testicular cancer. It was the first of his incredible seven consecutive victories in professional cycling's premier event.
Armstrong stated that he decided to end his retirement after finishing second last month in the Leadville 100. The 100-mile mountain bike race is run through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
He added: ‘This kind of obscure bike race totally kick-started my engine.
‘For me it's always been about the process. The process of getting there is the best part.
Armstrong, who turns 37 on September 18, conceded that his age is starting to catch up with him but the Texas native pointed to other older athletes, including 41-year-old Olympic medalist swimmer Dara Torres, who have succeeded in their respective sports.
He said: ‘I get up out of bed a little slow.
‘I mean, I'm not going to lie. My back gets tired quicker than it used to and I get out of bed a little slower than I used to.
‘But when I'm going, when I'm on the bike, I feel just as good as I did before.
‘Older athletes are performing very well. Ask serious sports physiologists and they'll tell you age is a wives' tale.
‘Athletes at 30, 35 mentally get tired. They've done their sport for 20, 25 years and they're like, I've had enough.
'But there's no evidence to support that when you're 38 you're any slower than when you were 32.’
The oldest cyclist to ever win the Tour de France was 36-year-old Firmin Lambot, who achieved the feat in 1922. The Belgian is the only cyclist over the age of 34 to win the event.
Reports of Armstrong's return began circulating on Monday when cycling website VeloNews reported that Armstrong would compete with the Astana team in five races in 2009, including the Tour de France.
But Astana, managed by long-time Armstrong associate Johan Bruyneel, dismissed the report.
Bruyneel said: ‘I don't know where the rumours come from.
‘Maybe because Lance recently finished second in (the Leadville 100). He has been training and he is in good shape.’
Astana spokesman Philippe Maertens also denied any involvement with Armstrong.
Maertens said: ‘Team Astana has no plans with him.
The reports of Armstrong's return were fuelled when he registered with the United States Anti-Doping Agency's out-of-competition testing program, which was a condition of his entry to the Leadville 100.
Should Armstrong appear in Astana colours, it will increase pressure on Tour de France organisers Amaury Sport Organisation to accept the team for the 2009 race.
Astana, sponsored by the Kazakhstan government, was not invitedto compete in this year's Tour following a series of doping incidents in 2007.
