Armstrong will compete after all

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - USA Cycling and the International Cycling Union have overturned their ruling that had barred Lance Armstrong from competing at this week's Tour of the Gila.

The international group had cited a rarely enforced rule barring top-level teams from competing in national events, but overturned the ruling early Tuesday morning, allowing Armstrong and other members of Team Astana to race in the five-day southwestern New Mexico event.

This will be Armstrong's first race since he broke his collarbone during a race in Spain in March.

Armstrong and teammates including Levi Lipeheimer are expected to arrive in Silver City on Tuesday afternoon.

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This is a developing story. Previous coverage of the ruling is below.

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The annual Tour of the Gila will go on this week without seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong who ran afoul of a rarely enforced international cycling rule.

His colleagues on Team Astana including Levi Lipeheimer also are out based on the International Cycling Federation enforcing a rule against top-level teams competing in national events. The rule has been rarely enforced in the past, and race organizers don't know why it's being enforced now.

"They took something really good away from Silver City, Grant County and New Mexico," race director Jack Brennan told KRQE News 13. "We have a great race here. We have a great organization, great support from all our community leaders, great sponsors from Silver City and from New Mexico.

"And these guys in Switzerland say, 'You guys in New Mexico can't have Lance Armstrong and the rest of the Astana team. We're going to take that away from you."

Floyd Landis still is expected to compete in the Gila event. His team operates under a domestic governing body rather than an international one.