Lance Armstrong announces first race since doping confession

Disgraced cycling star Lance Armstrong has announced he will be racing for the first time since confessing to doping during an Oprah Winfrey interview in January.

Although he is banned for life from competing in cycling competitions, Armstrong will participate in The Des Moines Register newspaper's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa in July.

Race director T.J. Juskiewicz said that they were open to anyone that wants to come and ride RAGBRAI.

According to the US Weekly, about his decision to participate, Armstrong said that he is realistic about his critics.

The cancer survivor added that he has no other intentions but return to the sport that he loves.

Armstrong was stripped of his seven consecutive Tour de France wins by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and was dropped by multiple endorsements because of the doping scandal, the report added.