Armstrong will compete in the Tour de France

Lance Armstrong will ride in the 2009 Tour de France, marking the first time he will compete in that race and the Giro d’Italia in the same year.

“I’m committed to riding for the best guy,” Armstrong said Monday, acknowledging the taxing schedule could leave him riding in a supporting role in France.

The Giro runs May 9-31, and the Tour begins July 4.

With such a quick turnaround between two grueling races, the seven-time Tour champion acknowledged his body might not perform at the same level it did when he won his last Tour in 2005.

“If you’ve been away for three or four years, it would be silly for anybody to think I could pick up where I left off,” Armstrong told the Associated Press in a telephone interview from Tenerife in the Canary Islands where his team, Astana, is training.

Armstrong, 37, stunned the cycling world in September, when he announced he was ending his three-year retirement. He said then his goal was to race in the Tour but stopped short of a guarantee.

Reached by telephone, French anti-doping agency chief Pierre Bordry would not comment on Armstrong’s decision but did say “he will be treated like everyone else” when it comes to drug testing.

BASEBALL

Sabathia gets arbitration offer

CC Sabathia, likely to command the largest contract among this year’s free-agent pitchers, was offered salary arbitration by the Milwaukee Brewers.

Teams had until midnight to make the offers to free agents. If a club offers arbitration to a top free agent, as determined by a complex statistical formula, and he then signs with another club, his former team receives extra selections in next June’s amateur draft as compensation.

The New York Yankees declined arbitration with pitcher Andy Pettitte. Pitcher A.J. Burnett was offered salary arbitration by the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Boston Red Sox and Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa have agreed to a major league contract. . . . Pitcher Mike Hampton is set to return to the Houston Astros, reaching a preliminary agreement on a one-year, $2-million contract.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Harrell has surgery on fingers

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell was recovering from surgery to repair nine breaks in two fingers of his non-throwing hand, but he won’t miss any playing time.

Texas Tech spokesman Chris Cook confirmed details of Harrell’s injury and Sunday surgery. Surgeons inserted 17 pins and two plates into the pinkie and ring fingers of Harrell’s left hand.

Harrell, a contender for the Heisman Trophy, will play when the No. 8 Red Raiders (11-1) appear in their ninth straight bowl game, probably the Cotton Bowl.

Clemson is sticking with Dabo Swinney, giving the Tigers’ interim coach a five-year contract to replace former boss Tommy Bowden. The Tigers won four of their final five games under Swinney to become bowl-eligible. . . . Missouri offensive coordinator Dave Christensen will become the next head coach at Wyoming. . . . As expected, Lane Kiffin was introduced as the new coach of Tennessee.

ETC.

Ronaldo named player of the year

Cristiano Ronaldo won the Golden Ball awarded to the European soccer player of the year, becoming the fourth Manchester United player to take the award and the first since fellow winger George Best in 1968.

Ronaldo’s brilliant scoring form helped him beat Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, who finished second. Liverpool forward Fernando Torres was third.

Scott Speed of Manteca, Calif., will race full time next season in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series, a move expected since Red Bull Racing released AJ Allmendinger to make room for the former Formula One driver.

A former Wisconsin football player was charged with threatening Athletic Director Barry Alvarez, tennis star Maria Sharapova and their families. Leonard Taylor Jr., 32, of Indianapolis, faces one felony stalking count and one misdemeanor count of telephone harassment. Taylor played defensive back for the Badgers from 1995 to 1998, when Alvarez was the coach.

Former NBA standout Rodney Rogers was hospitalized in Raleigh, N.C., after being injured while riding an all-terrain vehicle. His condition wasn’t known Monday night.