Armstrong rejects status of clear Tour favourite
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Updated: 2001-07-06 10:31

The US Postal rider, champion for the last two years, picked out Jan Ullrich, Joseba Beloki and Francesco Casagrande as key rivals as he stressed he had been vulnerable on the mountains last time out.

But the American, who battled back from testicular cancer to win in 1999 and 2000, has a revamped team behind him as he goes in pursuit of a hat-trick of victories.

And he is clearly feeling as confident as ever as he prepares for Saturday's prologue time trial in Dunkirk.

"I disagree with the view that I'm the overwhelming favourite," Armstrong said in a relaxed appearance before the media.

"There are guys who are as strong as me who've won this race before, and guys as strong as me who have won other races.

"I view Ullrich as a favourite, Beloki as a favourite and Casagrande as a favourite."

Ullrich, the 1997 champion, showed he was getting into form with a victory in the German national championships.

"I expected him to win," said Armstrong. "I had a feeling he was training effectively, losing weight and getting stronger.

"He's a fantastic rider -- strong, talented and I think he's in shape."

CONVINCING WIN

Armstrong himself geared up for the race with a convincing win in the Tour of Switzerland.

"One weakness could be that I've arrived at my form a bit early," Armstrong conceded.

"But the truth is that in the mountains in Switzerland I wasn't at my best. I was suffering and things weren't clicking.

"It was only in the uphill time trial that I started to feel good."

Armstrong will be without his former lieutenant Kevin Livingston this year, after the American decamped to join Ullrich's Telekom team.

But the US Postal outfit this year will be even better, according to Armstrong.

"I know this is the strongest team we've started the Tour de France with," he said.

"I think we've added to our potential in the mountains with the addition of (Roberto) Heras and (Jose Luis) Rubiera and with Christian Vandevelde coming back.

"It should be no surprise to anyone here that last year we were vulnerable in the mountains. Early in the race I was isolated and that can't be allowed to happen again.

"We had to look around the sport for solid climbers. We needed the assurance of having some of the best climbers in the world."

PANTANI ABSENT

Armstrong will not have to deal with the threat of Marco Pantani this year, after the Italian's Mercatone Uno team was not given an invite.

The American said he respected the decision of Tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc not to award Pantani's team a wild card entry even though he believes the Italian will be missed.

"I respect Jean-Marie Leblanc a hundred percent," Armstrong said. "He's the boss of the race. He's the one who interacts with the sponsors, the media, the public.

"I think Pantani has a huge cycling personality. In the mountains people will miss Pantani but it isn't my decision."

FULLY SUPPORTIVE

Armstrong said he was fully supportive of the efforts made to combat the use of drugs in cycling, following the scandals of the 1998 Tour and this year's Giro d'Italia.

But he said he was in no position to promise a totally drug-free Tour.

"I can't speak for the other teams and for 180 other riders," he said. "I can't tell you.

"I can tell you that in our group we have standards we've set and expectations.

"The sport's governing body have done everything they can do to combat doping. The Tour de France organisers have done everything they can do and so has the minister of sport. It's all in place.

"Is someone going to take the risk? Maybe. Would that person be stupid to do that? Yes.

"But I can't be, and shouldn't be, the person to tell you that it will be absolutely clean.

"We hope for a clean sport. People don't want another episode like the Giro."