Seven times Tour de France winner and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong cycles through Dublin's Phoenix Park August 25, 2009. REUTERS/Cathal McNaughton

MILAN (Reuters) - Lance Armstrong is expected to miss next May’s Giro d’Italia after announcing he will race in the Tour of California.

"I've decided to ride the Tour of California in 2010," the American told Twitter (twitter.com/lancearmstrong).

The Tour of California starts on May 16 while the Giro, the world’s second-biggest stage race, begins on May 8 in Amsterdam.

The full route for next year’s Giro will be announced on Saturday.

Armstrong raced this year’s Giro for the first time as part of his comeback after three-and-a-half years in retirement.

He ended up 12th before going on to finish third in the Tour de France, which he had won previously won seven times.

Armstrong, who raced for Astana this year, has set up the new RadioShack team for next season.