Lance Armstrong and Anna Hansen expecting a child

Lance Armstrong will soon have four children to go along with his seven Tour de France titles.

Armstrong, 37, and his girlfriend Anna Hansen, 28, have announced they’re expecting a child next year.

"Anna and I are thrilled to confirm that we are expecting in June and our families are ecstatic and grateful," Armstrong said via a statement. "We are very much looking forward to what 2009 brings on many fronts. We appreciate respecting our privacy, as we are both eager to celebrate the holidays as a family."

Hansen, a graduate of the University of Colorado, is a Program Manager and Recruiter for First Descents. The organization is located in Vail, Colo., and it helps offer outdoor adventure experiences for young adults with cancer.

An avid recreational mountain bike competitor, Hansen is a volunteer at the Children’s Hospital in Denver and serves on the board of directors of Camp Wapiyapi, a foundation providing support for families with childhood cancer.

Armstrong and Hansen, according to several Internet sites met through charity work and have been dating since July 2008.

Armstrong met Kristin Richards in June 1997. They were married on May 8, 1998, and have three children: Luke, born in October 1999, and twins Isabelle and Grace, born in November 2001. The pregnancy was made possible through in vitro fertilization.

Armstrong stored sperm prior to having chemotherapy and surgery following his 1996 of metastasized testicular cancer. Armstrong and his wife filed for divorce in September 2003.

The expected child of Armstrong and his girlfriend is via natural pregnancy.

Three years after retiring following his last Tour de France win in July 2005. Armstrong announced in September his return to international competition in 2009. He’s scheduled to race in the Tour Down Under, beginning next January 20 in Adelaide, Australia.

Armstrong, who is not taking a salary from his new team, the Kazakhstan-financed Astana, called his comeback an attempt to raise global awareness in his fight against cancer.

Among other events, Armstrong is also scheduled to compete in the Amgen Tour of California (Feb. 14-22), Tour of Italy, (May 9-31) and Tour de France (July 3-25).

Armstrong did not announce if his pending fatherhood would neccessitate altering his 2009 racing schedule.

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