Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong was today cleared to race in the 2009 Tour Down Under in Australia, the International Cycling Union (UCI) announced.
The American, who stunned cycling by announcing his intentions to take part in next year's Tour de France, targeted the Australian event as the first step on his comeback after a three-year absence.
It was clouded in doubt as the veteran was told he had to respect the UCI's 'biological passport' rule demanding athletes be registered with an anti-doping program six months prior to competing.
But the world governing body said it was satisfied Armstrong could take part.
"The International Cycling Union (UCI) has decided to approve Lance Armstrong's participation in the forthcoming Tour Down Under in Australia, to be held 20-25 January, the first event of the 2009 UCI ProTour," said a UCI statement.
"The UCI can confirm that Lance Armstrong has and will be the subject of very strict monitoring throughout the period running up to his return to the peloton."
