New York - Six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong was in New York on Thursday to convince Olympic backers that he believes New York, and not Paris, is the best city to host the 2012 Games.
Armstrong has had to do some verbal backpedalling the past few weeks over the issue of who should host the 2012 Summer Olympics.
"I want to be clear that I think all the cities are deserving bidders," he said. "But none of them deserve it like New York City."
His latest comments came during an appearance at civic programme in Manhattan to promote youth cycling.
On March 9, the 33-year-old American cycling champ initially pledged his support for Paris, telling French newspaper Le Parisien, "To be honest, I think Paris deserves the Games. I think it was already the best candidate in 2008. The Games finally went to Beijing, probably for other reasons. But the candidacy of Paris is excellent, that's for sure.
"A few days ago, I went past the Stade de France and I think it would really be a great place for the opening ceremony. Paris is one of the world's legendary cities."
Armstrong's comments sparked a furore in the US where he was labelled a traitor.
Armstrong made his comments as the 13-strong International Olympic Committee evaluation commission evaluated the French capital's bid to host the 2012 Games.
London, Madrid and Moscow are the other candidate cities in addition to Paris and New York.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is scheduled to select the winning city on July 6 at a meeting in Singapore.
Armstrong also fielded questions on Thursday about the latest allegations of drug use against him from a former personal assistant and security guard.
"Unfortunately, when you're in the position I'm in, people see dollar signs," said Armstrong, who has vehemently denied taking performance enhancing drugs.
Asked about his possible retirement, Armstrong said he is considering it. "I'm still thinking about that."
Armstrong said his comments about Paris being better suited for the Olympics were taken out of context and he did not mean to maligne New York.
"I'll never forget coming here (after a Tour de France win) and being yelled at by firemen as they drive down the road and thinking, 'Oh my God, how do they know who I am?' Armstrong told the New York Times. "You start to feel like you've made it."
But former aide Mike Anderson stated in his countersuit that the added attention from motorists wasn't always welcome. Anderson said Armstrong had a tendency to lose his cool during confrontations with people he had to share the road with.
"During training rides there were frequent incidents with motorists," Anderson stated in court papers filed in a Texas court. "Armstrong was prone to making obscene gestures at motorists and to catching them at stop lights and stop signs and cussing at them."