It's official, alright, according to VeloNews.

I have mixed feelings about this announcement. I've always enjoyed watching Lance ride. His intensity on the bike is what got me into watching the Tour a few years ago. But all the "will he/won't he" hoopla over the last several weeks really became tiresome. And, honestly, the concerns he voiced over the possibility of someone attacking him on the roadside sounded like he was looking for excuses not to do it. So I'm not terribly excited right now, but I'm sure I will be when July 2009 rolls around.