Armstrong to compete at 2010 Criterium International bike race in March

Update: Feb. 4 — Also cycling in Cape Argus bike ride in South Africa

Lance Armstrong and Team Radio Shack will compete at the Criterium International bike race on the island of Corsica on March 27 – 28.

That's a change for Armstrong, who originally was scheduled to race in the Volta Ciclista a Catalunya in Spain from March 22 – 28.

Race director Christian Prudhomme made the announcement; he's also director of the Tour de France, which is owned by the same group that owns the Criterium. The schedule change isn't yet reflected at the Team RadioShack website.

Competition

Also appearing will be world road race champion Cadel Evans and Olympic gold medalist Samuel Sanchez, reports the AP.

Armstrong last competed at the criterium in 2004, finishing 3rd. He finished 2nd in 2002.

The bike race, won last year by Jens Voigt, features three competitions over two days.

The first stage is 108 miles and finishes atop Col de l'Ospedale, a 9-mile climb at 7% gradient. The second stage is flat and third, later that same day, is a 5-mile individual time trial.

Corsica is in the Mediterranean Sea and is part of France, although it's closer to Italy.

Meanwhile, Armstrong announced at his Twitter website that he'll be riding in the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour in March. He already was planning to be in South Africa for the JAG Foundation, a charity.

“Hey South Africa! Excited to come down in March. Bringing your man Daryl Impey with me. And yes, we're racing The Argus. Hear great things.”

Impey is a 25-year-old South African member of the RadioShack team.

The Cape Argus is the world's largest timed mass participation ride. CyclingWeekly reports that some 25,000 cyclists finished last year's ride, but blustery winds convinced another 15,000 registered cyclists to either not start or drop out early.

Another American celebrity, actor Matt Damon, did the ride last year while he was in South Africa shooting the film “Invictus.”

Armstrong and the RadioShack team are presently training on Tenerife, a Spanish island off the coast of Africa.