this sort of public declaration of unity/ 'backing of the best rider' means nothing to anyone and armstrong knows this. However there is a long time until the tour starts in monaco and id imagine there wont be a week where there isnt sum snippet of information from the armstrong camp between now and then. Much as i am a massive fan of lance, id imagine this will get somewhat tiresome although this is how he planned it, to constantly be in the news and getting publicity so fair play to the man. P.S everyone knows he wont ride for contador, when lance races he races to win, end of story.

"Armstrong comfortable supporting Contador at Tour"

He'll have to be, he won,t be able to catch him.

Why hasn't Popo got his new Astana Kit yet?

I know the Pros get custom fitted clothing, but surely there'd be some left over 2008 Merchandise he could wear.

Popo is still inder contract with Silence-Lotto until 2009, new signings won't wear the Astana kit until then.

All this is fantastic PR for Armstrong, Contador and Astana. They are now the most talked about team and individuals in bike racing....exactly as it was planned. Poor old Garmin, CSC, Silence Lotto.

Of course they don't know who'll lead the team at the TdF, nor will they ever actually say. Like CSC last year the guessing will make it harder for the others to cover them and all the while the riders and the sponsors will get more and more and more coverage.

And after it's all done and Armstrongs retired again, Contador will be richer, be able to negotiate bigger contracts and still be the best stage racer in the world while Astana will be able (unseen doping scandal aside) to get bigger sponsorship deals.

It's ALL about the money and profile.

It's racing. You don't race to enjoy the scenery.

I would love to see LA win the tour, but there's a lot that can happen in the next 6 months.

It's going to be a pretty level playing field - the riders will be lucky to have enough blood left to walk let alone race with all the drug testing they are going to have to endure. Plus the samples can be tested in later years.

The best man in the best team will win.

I think Lance will race to win...

Contador's a class act in the mountains and can time-trial too but if it comes down to a battle of wits and wills then I think Armstrong will just nudge it - especially as he could take out a minute or more advantage in the time trials.

Whatever happens, we're all set for an interesting summer next year - and I for one can't wait!

Astana look like they're finally going to get some 'positive' publicity for once - this time for all the right reasons -hopefully :)

No, Lance won't race to dawdle, yes, he'll hate somebody else - especially in his own team - hogging the limelight, no, he won't beat Contador, yes, it'll break the team to bits. The good thing about it is that it'll give their competitors more to go at and make for a good race.

Before all that though, does nobody else think Lance is looking a bit weighty? I know it's pre-season, but he's said that he's pretty close to his racing trim. Case of the Jan Ullrichs...?

OMG, are we gonna here about nothing else in pro cycling for the next 8 months?? Anyone would think cyclists think about nothing other than the TDF!!! Theres about a million other bike races that go on each year, can we please talk about them for a bit and wait to get excited about the Tour until after the Giro???? This constant coverage of Armstrong and the tour is like putting your christmas decorations up in June... by the time the event eventually comes up we'll be totally sick of it >:-(

i hope we dont see another expode like the hinault, lemond, and hinault being like armstrong and contrader like lemond holding hands as they cross the line at alpe d huez, we could, there both champion's and history alwats repeats it's self, be great if Astana take top 3 in paris, contrader 1 armstrong 2, levi 3. my predictions. poor cadel evans sorry 4th overall.

This is all going to get stunningly boring.

I know LA's after publicity (mind you that's still a funny old reason to make a comeback, after all he's attained national recognition through his exploits in the past - he sounds more like a boxer who doesn't know when to quit the ring) but these diatribes are going to turn people off.

If 'SayWhatUThink' doesn't like all the talk about Lance, the Tour, etc, etc, on this page, he should go to another post and read about something else!

I always watch ALL of the Tour de France and having LA back next year will make it even better! Roll on July 2009.