Cycling: Armstrong 'not a threat' this year?

Former Tour de France winner and Team Saxo-Bank owner Bjarne Riis has dismissed Lance Armstrong as a contender for overall honours this year.

Armstrong is returning to the tour for the first time in four years and will feature in an Astana line-up, which includes 2007 champion Alberto Contador

Riis says Armstrong will not be able to match it with the new generation of pedallers on the climbs. He says Contador is the obvious choice as Astana';s leader and believes there will be no conflict with the team.

Unlike his team boss, veteran German cyclist Jens Voigt is unwilling to write Armstrong off as a contender. He was impressed with Armstrong at the Giro dItalia last month and says he cannot be dismissed.

"He's not the type of person who comes here to just enjoy the sun ... so I would not count him out."

The 20 teams have been presented to the public in Monaco two days before the race starts, with New Zealander Hayden Roulston getting his first taste of the hype.

After crossing stage and posing in front of Prince Albert, the teams leisurely pedalled along the harbour in a tame pre-cursor to the opening prologue time trial.

- NEWSTALK ZB