Tour de France 2009: The Return of Lance Armstrong

Lance Armstrong returns to the race he dominated for seven years, but will have to beat team-mate Alberto Contador, who is the hot favourite. The Spaniard, who won the event in 2007, will lead the Astana team, but Armstrong is expected to try his luck early in the race to turn the hierarchy upside down. "I would love to be a little mouse and see how it goes within Astana," Tour director Christian Prudhomme said. "Contador will have only a week, and actually two stages, to show he is the boss in his own team." The opening 15.5km time trial in Monaco on Saturday should give an indication of the favourites' form on a course tailor-made for climber Contador with its 7.5km ascent to the Cote de Beausoleil. Contador, one of only five riders with victories in all three Grand Tours, is also expected to make a move in the seventh stage which finishes with an out-of-category climb to Arcalis. However, should he still be in contention at that time, Armstrong, having returned to cycling after over three years in retirement, is convinced he can cause an upset. "I feel strong, I feel strong enough to win," he said. "It will be close. Three to one." Other contenders include Silence-Lotto's Australian Cadel Evans, runner-up the past two years, and Saxo Bank's Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank, who have a very strong team behind them. Champion Carlos Sastre, who left Saxo Bank for Cervelo, should not be counted out, having shown great form in the Giro, where he snatched two mountain stages. Anti-doping authorities have warned they will be merciless after the last three Tours were tainted by drugs scandals. "The Tour de France will be the most tested event in the history of sports," said International Cycling Union Pat McQuaid. The UCI and the French Anti-Doping Agency will work together to carry out more than 500 tests throughout the race.

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ITN | July 3, 2009

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