French minister says Lance Armstrong will be ‘particularly monitored’ for doping at Tour

September 10th, 2009 Cyclists join Lance Armstrong for LA bike rideLOS ANGELES — Lance Armstrong has finished an hour-long bike ride that attracted several hundred cyclists to Griffith Park in Los Angeles. The seven-time Tour de France winner began his ride early Thursday from the Los Angeles Zoo's parking lot and led a crowd of cyclists through three loops of the park.

July 26th, 2009 Alberto Contador wins Tour de France againPARIS — Alberto Contador won the Tour de France for a second time Wednesday, and Lance Armstrong capped his return to the race with an impressive third-place finish. Mark Cavendish of Britain collected his sixth stage win of this year's Tour in a sprint after the 101.9-mile course ride from Montereau-Fault-Yonne to the Champs-Elysees.

July 23rd, 2009 Contador wins time trial; Armstrong in 3rd placeANNECY, France — Alberto Contador has won the final time trial in the Tour de France, and Lance Armstrong moved up a spot to third place overall. Contador now looks all but assured of his second Tour victory after increasing his overall lead in Thursday's 18th stage.

July 21st, 2009 Armstrong finds new sponsor for his teamBOURG-SAINT-MAURICE, France — Lance Armstrong says he's found a new American sponsor to back his team next year. The seven-time Tour de France champion said on his Twitter feed Tuesday: "Making a very cool announcement on Thursday re: a new American partner for our team in 2010 (and beyond).

July 17th, 2009 Armstrong lashes out at French sports ministerCOLMAR, France — Lance Armstrong is fed up with criticism of his Astana team by the French sports minister. Roselyne Bachelot said Astana riders at the Tour de France remained out of sight of an International Cycling Union inspector too long during a random doping test last week.

July 17th, 2009 Hinault: Contador will win again _ not ArmstrongCOLMAR, France — Five-time Tour de France champion Bernard Hinault believes that Lance Armstrong won't win this year's race, saying the American's rivalry with Astana teammate Alberto Contador is motivating the Spaniard. In an interview in Friday's edition of French sports newspaper L'Equipe, Hinault claimed Armstrong's age — 37 — and Contador's superior climbing skills mean the American won't win the Tour an eighth time, breaking his own record.

July 10th, 2009 BARCELONA, Spain — The seventh stage of the Tour de France between Barcelona and the Andorran ski resort of Arcalis has started, with Lance Armstrong facing his first big test in the mountains. The 139-mile stage — the longest on the Tour this year — features the category 1 Col del Serra-Seca before the climb to Arcalis, which is classified "beyond category." The final ascent is 6.5 miles long and has an average gradient of 7.1 percent.

July 8th, 2009 Armstrong apologizes to Sastre and Vande VeldeMONTPELLIER, France — Lance Armstrong said he was wrong and disrespectful when he called last year's Tour de France a "bit of a joke." In the new book, "Lance — The Making of the World's Greatest Champion" by John Wilcockson, Armstrong is said to have recounted his early musings about a possible comeback after the 2008 Tour, won by Carlos Sastre. "The Tour was a bit of a joke this year.

July 8th, 2009 Armstrong just off lead as Tour's 5th stage beginsCAP D'AGDE, France — Lance Armstrong was trailing race leader Fabian Cancellara by a fraction of a second as Tour de France riders left for the fifth stage along the Mediterranean coast. Breakaway riders are expected to shine in Wednesday's 122-mile ride from Le Cap d'Agde to Perpignan, though the finale could also involve a sprint.

July 3rd, 2009 Armstrong under doping watch at Tour de FrancePARIS — France's sports minister says Lance Armstrong will be "particularly monitored" for doping during the Tour de France. The seven-time Tour winner has come out of retirement to ride in cycling's showcase.

June 30th, 2009 AP Interview: Armstrong set for Tour support rolePARIS — Lance Armstrong says he's capable of winning an eighth Tour de France but is ready, if necessary, to put his ambitions on hold for teammate and rival Alberto Contador. Contador and Armstrong will ride for the Astana team at the three-week race that starts Saturday.

June 28th, 2009 Anti-doping chief vows Tour fairness for ArmstrongPARIS — When Lance Armstrong and France's anti-doping agency were at odds last spring over a surprise doping test, the seven-time Tour de France champion's return to the Tour appeared to fade. Since then, tensions have eased.

June 22nd, 2009 Lance Armstrong wins small race in Northern Calif.NEVADA CITY, Calif. — Lance Armstrong won the Nevada City Classic on Sunday night, holding off teammate Levi Leipheimer in the challenging one-day race in the Sierra Nevada foothills.

June 5th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Lance Armstrong and girlfriend, Anna Hansen, have become proud parents of a baby boy. The multiple Tour de France winner's lover has given birth to the couple's first child.

June 5th, 2009 Lance Armstrong announces birth of son on TwitterLance Armstrong has announced the birth of his son on the social-networking site Twitter. Armstrong, who won the Tour de France seven straight years after overcoming testicular cancer, posted a tweet about 11:15 p.m.