CONTADOR: ARMSTRONG COULD WIN AN EIGHTH TOUR

2007 Tour winner Alberto Contador has told the Spanish press that he is convinced that Lance Armstrong could win an eighth Tour if he wanted to do so.

?I would be proud to race with him,? Contador told Spanish sports daily AS. ?If Lance wanted to do it, he could win the Tour de France for an eighth time.?

Although Armstrong has yet to announce which team he will race for, it has been speculated that - assuming Armstrong?s comeback bid does go ahead - the Texan could form part of the Astana squad, alongside Contador.

Although the team have officially denied any links, Armstrong?s old Discovery Channel team manager, Johan Bruyneel, is currently in charge of Astana. The Belgian has so far refused to confirm or deny anything, but has been quoted as saying ?I can?t imagine him racing with CSC or Rabobank.?

An interview published on Wednesday in Basque newspaper El Diario Vasco with Astana team doctor Pedro Celaya ? who was with Armstrong during his seven Tour de France wins ? says that it is completely feasible for an athlete of Armstrong?s stature to return to high-level competition.

?The history of sport tells us that is the case,? Celaya commented to the newspaper.

?[Spaniard] Joan Llaneras won two medals in the 2008 Olympic Games [on the track, in the madison and points races] at 39. [Slava] Ekimov raced until he was 41. Davide Rebellin [Gerolsteiner and the 2008 Paris-Nice winner] is still racing and he?s 37.?

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