Ten Sports will bring action everyday from the scenic French urban and countryside. The tour will air live at 9 pm onwards.

Tour de France 2005 will witness the American cyclist Lance Armstrong seventh consecutive tour and also will be the farewell event, who has become a global sporting icon.

The release informs that the Tour comprises 21 stages and only two days of rest - 11 July and 18 July. This will be the 92 edition of the world famous event which was first staged way back in 1903.

As many as 21 teams are expected to take part, but the spotlight will be firmly on Team Discovery Channel of the United States, of which Armstrong forms a part.

The 33-year-old American, who beat testicular cancer before winning his first Tour in 1999, remains focused on adding to his record six wins in Paris. Armstrong was only given a 40 per cent chance of survival in 1994 after doctors discovered cancer.

But he beat the odds and went on to better the five Tour titles of cycling greats Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault and Miguel Indurain, adds the media release.