Armstrong in Australia for comeback

(NECN: Australia) - Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong arrived in Australia on Sunday, ahead of his return to competitive cycling after a three-and-a-half year absence. Armstrong will take part in the Tour Down Under, a six stage road race around the city of Adelaide, as part of his preparations for another assault on the Tour de France in 2009 and although the 37 year-old American played down his chances of winning the event, he is determined to be competitive, even suggesting that he is fitter now than he was when he last won 'Le Tour' back in 2005. Speaking in the South Australian capital on Monday, Armstrong said that part of the reason he was making his comeback was to promote his cancer charity, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, which has raised more than $250 million for the fight against cancer. Armstrong himself was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1996, but recovered to become the greatest rider in the history of the Tour de France. Armstrong played down his chances of making a winning start to his comeback, but did sound a note of warning to his rivals.