Lance Armstrong is getting back on his bike, determined to win an eighth Tour de France.

Armstrong's return from cancer to win the Tour a record seven consecutive times made him a hero to cancer patients worldwide and elevated cycling to an unprecedented level in America.

The 36-year-old Armstrong told Vanity Fair in an exclusive interview posted on its Web site yesterday that he was inspired to return after finishing second last month in the Leadville 100, a lung-searing 100-mile mountain bike race through the Colorado Rockies.

"This kind of obscure bike race, totally kick-started my engine," he told the magazine. "I'm going to try and win an eighth Tour de France."

The sport and particularly the Tour have missed his star power, even though skeptics refused to believe he could win seven Tours without the help of illegal performance-enhancing drugs.

The 2009 Tour "is the intention," Armstrong's spokesman Mark Higgins told The Associated Press, "but we've got some homework to do over there."

Unable to earn her card through sponsor exemptions, Michelle Wie has entered the LPGA Tour qualifying school and will play the first stage next week at Mission Hills, the California course where she first rose to fame at age 13.

• Jimmy Chestnut beat Matthew Williams 5-and-3 on to reach the quarterfinals of the U. S. Mid-Amateur Championship. Also advancing to the quarterfinals was Sean Knapp, of Oakmont, who defeated Ryan McDonald, 1 up.

In the women's U.S. Mid-Amateur, Sewickley's Carol Semple Thompson topped Marci Zweifel, 2 up.

Florida Panthers defenseman Keith Ballard agreed to a six-year contract extension. Terms were not disclosed.

• The Detroit Red Wings re-signed 46-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios for one year.

Kobe Bryant will not have surgery on his right pinkie because recovery would take too long. Bryant has played with damaged ligaments in the finger since February.

• The Philadelphia 76ers gave Maurice Cheeks his second contract extension in seven months. Cheeks previously signed a one-year extension Feb. 20. Terms of the latest deal were not disclosed.

• Portland Trail Blazers forward Channing Frye will likely miss the start of the regular season after having surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle.