Lance Armstrong has issued an open invitation for cyclists in Auckland to join him on a ride on Tuesday morning.
The disgraced former Tour de France winner – who was banned for life from all sports in 2012 after notoriously doping for years – is believed to be in New Zealand to shoot a commercial having touched down from his home in Texas on Saturday.
And he has used Twitter to ask the public to join him on a tour of Auckland’s waterfront.
“Good morning New Zealand! Let’s ride Tuesday AM! Cruisy waterfront loop (Tamaki Drive/Cliff Road). 6am Mechanics Bay. See ya there!,” Armstrong said.
However, some New Zealanders were less than impressed by the offer.
One Twitter user replied: “What are you going to do? Teach them how to take drugs and cheat? You have nothing NZers want!
Another said: “Let’s ride to get some dope man.”
Armstrong, now 45, has already ridden with a group of Kiwi amateur cyclists to the Waitakere Ranges.
He posted a picture on Instagram showing nearly 20 locals posing in front of one the famous over-sized picture frames dotted around the regional park – after posing for a solo snap himself.
New Zealand triathlete Cameron Brown also rode with Armstrong on Sunday, and took along his young son Josh, but was then criticised on social media after posting a message on his Facebook page saying: “Pretty cool for me and Josh to have a ride along the Auckland waterfront with Lance Armstrong.”
Brown received one message from a follower on Twitter saying: “Disappointing to see you fanboying this piece of garbage. He’s no role model for your son either dude. Respect lost.”