By the time Lance Armstrong's rumored return to cycling was confirmed Wednesday, public relations, marketing and journalistic outlets around the globe were well into the story. Armstrong (and his handlers) are savvy and got the word spread via CNN, The News York Times, among others.

The following CNN video was distributed to selected media members. In the interview with Kiran Chetry of CNN, Armstrong explains why he’s returning to compete during the 2009
season, including participating in the Tour de France for Astana, the Kazakhstan-based team directed by his close friend Johan Bruyneel.

Bruyneel was the director of the U.S. Postal Service/Discovery squad Armstrong rode for during his seven-year Tour de France dominance that ended in 2005. Now, Armstrong will compete after a 3 1/2-year hiatus.