Courtesy Black Frame

Cyclist Lance Armstrong, Nike CEO Mark Parker, and artist Shepard Fairey

Christopher Wool Edward Ruscha Barry Mcgee Kaws Kenny Scharf Raymond Pettibon Rosson Crow Yoshitomo Nara

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The seven-time Tour de France winner is teaming up with Nike to launch the “Stages” tour, a traveling exhibition of work by 20 leading international artists, the proceeds of which will benefit the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF) and its campaign against cancer.

Participating artists include Shepard Fairey, Tom Sachs, Geoff McFetridge, Raymond Pettibon, José Parlá, Ed Ruscha, Kaws, Christopher Wool, Dzine, Eric White, Barry McGee, Kenny Scharf, Os Gêmeos, Marc Newson, Rosson Crow, Taryn Simon, JR, Yoshitomo Nara, Suejin Chung, Lari Pittman, Aaron Young, and Jules de Balincourt.

The “Stages” tour kicks off with an exhibition at Paris’s Emmanuel Perrotin Gallery, set to open on July 16, right in the middle of this year’s Tour de France. It will travel to New York, Portland, Oregon, and Los Angeles.

“This year it’s about more than winning the race. It’s about people coming together to use our talents and abilities for a cause bigger than ourselves and doing everything within our power to help those in their fight to overcome cancer,” said Armstrong, who is returning to the Tour this year, after two years away.  “This endeavor will help raise awareness and much needed funds for the foundation and those who need it most, researchers, patients, and their families.”

Nike is contributing two new sportswear collections, with proceeds also going to the LAF. There will be a “Hope Rides Again” apparel and footwear collection and a footwear “Greatest Hits” pack.

As part of a ceremony on Saturday to announce the new venture, Armstrong led 700 cyclists on a two-mile community bike ride in Los Angeles. He was then joined by several of the artists participating in “Stages” to unveil Fairey’s latest work of art, which is inspired by Armstrong.