London, July 25 : Cycling superstar Lance Armstrong is under fire after it was revealed that his latest bike for the Tour de France has been decorated with hundreds of dead butterflies.

Controversial Brit artist Damien Hirst has designed the machine for America''s seven-time Tour winner to ride into Paris tomorrow.

Hirst, who had earlier created works with insects, bred the butterflies, which were then killed and their wings glued to the hi-tech bike.

But Sam Glover, of animal rights group Peta, called the stunt "barbaric".

"Lance Armstrong is all about life - about not dying and overcoming adversity," the Sun quoted him as saying.

Armstrong, 37, is a cancer survivor and has plans to raise cancer charity funds. (ANI)