Lance Armstrong will cycle two stages of the Tour de France, the day before competing riders, for a leukemia charity, according to聽聽(AFP). Armstrong and ten other cyclists will ride from Muret to Rodez on Thursday, and from Rodez to Mende on Friday.聽
The charity, founded by former English soccer player and leukemia survivor Geoff Thomas, hopes to raise about $1.5 million through sponsors.聽
UCI president聽Brian Cookson聽has called for Armstrong to withdraw from the ride.聽
鈥淚t is undesirable.聽I think it is disrespectful,鈥 Cookson told the AFP. 鈥淚 think there are plenty of ways of raising money for charity that Lance could do.鈥
But Armstrong plans to ride on Thursday and Friday, regardless of Cookson鈥檚 comments.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know Brian Cookson. I鈥檝e never met him, never really had a conversation with him, don鈥檛 even know what his vision is for the sport,鈥澛燗rmstrong told the AFP. 鈥淏ut I do know that me and Geoff [Thomas]聽riding in France for this cause is the least of his problems.鈥