Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner, has withdrawn from multisports event in New Zealand next month in which he had planned to re-launch his triathlon career, said organizers Thursday. ' The American cyclist had planned to compete in a sprint distance triathlon at the Blue Lakes multisports festival at Rotorua on the North Island on Jan. 29.

Armstrong now planned to return to the United States immediately after competing in the Tour Down Under cycle race in Australia from Jan. 16 to 23.