American former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong confirmed through his podcast Stages” his participation in the 26th edition of La Ruta de los Conquistadores in Costa Rica which is scheduled to take place in November.

La Ruta, is considered the first and original multi-stage Mountain Bike Competition in the World, and one of the hardest athletic events in the planet.

Armstrong won the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005; however, his tour wins as well as all other wins we had through 2012 were voided after he was banned from sanctioned Olympic sports for life as a result of long-term doping offenses.

Armstrong was invited by Roman Urbina, organizer of the event, “This is a race that has been going on… last year was its 25th anniversary and they asked me to come down for that milestone, it was right in the middle of Luke’s (his son) football season, so I couldn’t make it happen, it’s been around for 26 years, I’ve never been to Costa Rica, it goes from one coast all the way across the country to the other coast, apparently it’s sup[osed to be terrible the hardest three days you can imagine. I am excited, (…) I’m participating, it’s not sanctioned…” said Armstrong.

Roman Urbina, commented: “We have to highlight the positive about his participation in La Ruta. Everyone should get a second chance, we all make mistakes and I think that having him come to compete will give the competition a plus, it is also a good occasion to continue supporting the Association against Children’s Cancer and we know he will help us”.