Lance Armstrong says he can beat Contador to win eighth Tour de France

for me lance will do well because he knows the game better than anyone else. like they always say of footballers, the first two yards are in your head. he never misses a trick, that's why last year he was on the podium and wiggo, who missed that early split, wasn't.

he doesn't have the outright pace to win, i agree with cat1 there. now that we've done away with time bonuses for placings (can we have them back please?) it's all about the mountain tops and the TTs, and he can't do what he used to do. contador's more than a match for him, the schlecks will have upped their game this year too.

any punts on a dark horse? other than albert timmer.

Lance was good in the mountains last year, but when he was winning the Tour he used to destroy everyone in the time trials. Last year Contador did the destroying in the time trials, which I found really extraordinary, and Lance was relatively weak. So unless Lance's time trailing really improves this year, I don't think he has a chance.

If only he'd attempt (or attempted) one or two other major tours and the classics eh?! He'd be far less open to such widespread contempt from the cycling community - that's got to have far more bearing than arrogance.

I wouldn't write him off though. In fact, with the aforementioned issues with Astana a possibility, it might even be worth checking out the odds.

Nope shy certainly isn't something that you'd associate with him… isn't he going to win the world ironman champs in Hawaii some time soon as well?

Arrogance is generally something that goes well with professional sport as it often promotes self-belief in the individual. Armstrong isn't shy at showing off his arrogance though, is he.

usual arrogant yank pro. Contador will spank him this year. Simple as that.

I can't believe I'm typing this, but he has surmounted bigger obstacles than being a bit old, you never know!

I was watching a DVD of him whilst on the turbo yesterday, and it showed the point when Beloki went down on that descent with LA right on his wheel, and how he off-roaded it out of trouble, he is a fairly un-pleasant person, but an amazing cyclist. I wait with baited breath for this years tour.

I think fully unleashed, Contador is just too much for anyone out there though. Fingers crossed Astana make it in, but maybe a freak coiffuring accident will take Vino out of the team, just to make it a perfect tour.

I've read a couple of his books and though they play him in a postive light, you still get the idea he was an arrogant sod, prior to his magnificent 7 malliot jeunes.

Can't wait for this years tour again. What a year for sport we have too: Vancouver, South Africa, Rossi and Stoner rubbing fairings again, the Tour, Schumacher.....

Hmm… if Contador won last year minus the support of most of his team he should be able to repeat the feat this year with a team that will be supporting him from the start, even if they aren't as strong as RadioShack.

Of course that's assuming that Astana are invited. There might be some sort of grim symmetry at play for Contador yet, if for the second time he is unable to defend his title because Astana are told they aren't wanted by ASO especially if the returning Vino regime misses out because of something done by the previous management, just like the Bruyneel version of Astana missed out because of the misdemeanours that occurred under the previous Vino regime.

It's not arrogant if he has 7 yellow jeresy at home. It'll be another interesting tour this year.

As if anyone really believed Lance was going to be racing for anyone other than himself. I hope he gets his 8th win. He might be a bit arrogant, but as an athlete you can't fault his determination. Go Team Radioshat.

What? He's talking out of it!

My. Arse.