Lance Armstrong is considering retiring after he tries for a record seventh straight Tour de France victory this July.
"It's a possibility," Armstrong said yesterday at a Central Park appearance to support New York's 2012 Olympic bid. "I am still thinking about that."
| _____ Tour de France _____
A brief look at Sunday's 20th stage of the Tour de France:
• Stage: 101.29 miles from Montereau to the Champs-Elysees.
• Winner: Tom Boonen, Belgium, Quick Step-Davitamon, 4 hours, 8 minutes, 26 seconds.
• How Others Fared: Lance Armstrong, United States, US Postal-Berry Floor, 114th, same time. Jan Ullrich, Germany, T-Mobile Team, 32nd, same time.
• Yellow Jersey: Armstrong.
• Quote of the Day: "I love the Tour de France. It's my buddy." -- Armstrong, who became the first rider to ever win the Tour six times.
• Results, overall standings
_____ Live Online _____
• The Post's Sally Jenkins took questions July 26.
_____ A Race Against Time _____
• Armstrong attempts what no man has yet accomplished -- a sixth consecutive Tour de France win.
• The heroes ride cycles instead of steeds, but the Tour de France is an epic saga.
• News Graphic: The members of Armstrong's team and their roles.
• Organizers have backloaded this year's 2,106-mile course so that Armstrong can't build an early lead and coast to his sixth win in a row.
• Stages of this year's Tour _____ Multimedia _____
• Video: The Post's Sally Jenkins on Lance Armstrong.
• Photos from the final stage of Armstrong's victory.
• Photos from this year's race.
• Photos from Armstrong's '03 win.
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Comments Armstrong, 33, made to Italian media last week that he missed his kids and the pressure was taking a toll on him fueled speculation that this year's Tour de France would be his last. "Four more months and it's over. . . . ," he was quoted as saying in Gazzetta dello Sport.
His new two-year contract to race for the Discovery Channel team requires he race just one more Tour de France. Yesterday, Armstrong said he would have plenty of responsibilities to occupy his time if he were to retire.
"I'd have a lot to do with the fight against cancer," said Armstrong, who overcame testicular cancer to become one of cycling's all-time greats. "That is enough to keep me busy for the next 50 years. I have three young kids that I want to be a full-time father to."
Armstrong was in Manhattan to backpedal from his endorsement of Paris as the possible host city for the 2012 Summer Olympics. New York, London, Moscow and Madrid are the other four finalists, with a winner to be selected by the International Olympic Committee on July 6.
-- From News Services
