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Indurain questions Armstrong return

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-09-26 13:21

MADRID-- Five times Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain expressed his doubts on Thursday about Lance Armstrong's return to professional cycling.

Cancer survivor and seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong (R) participates in a charity event in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, September 12, 2008. [Agencies]

Armstrong, who won the Tour de France a record seven times, announced on Wednesday that he would be riding with the Astana team in an attempt to claim an eighth win.

His return threatens the position of Alberto Contador, the 2007 Tour de France winner and the winner of the 2008 three-week races, the Giro de Italia (Tour of Italy) and Vuelta de Espana (Tour of Spain) as Astana team leader.

Contador has already said that if Armstrong did return, he would have to speak to Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel about his future. Indurain supports the position of the young Spanish rider.

"If they are at the same level of form, I don't think they can share a team and I also think that with Armstrong there, things will get a bit difficult for Alberto. Lance is a big name and it is a bit complicated to share a team with him," said Indurain on radio station Onda Cero.

Indurain won the Tour five times between 1991 and 1995. But he now believes Contador could be a worthy successor.

"He is the best rider on the planet," he said, although he admitted that may not help him against the media impact of the American's return.

"Armstrong moves very well. He knows Bill Clinton, he works with important associations at an international level and he has the media backing him up and supporting his cause," said Indurain.