by Justin Davis

PARIS, Oct 22, 2008 (AFP) – Lance Armstrong’s participation on the 2009 Tour de France, for which a highly innovative race route was unveiled here, remains uncertain – but not impossible according to his team here on Wednesday.

Seven-time Tour winner Armstrong recently announced his comeback to cycling after a three-year hiatus but in recent weeks has placed doubts on bidding to win an eighth yellow jersey.

The 37-year-old American appeared to snub Tour bosses last week when he announced he would definitely race next year’s Giro d’Italia, which he would do so for the first time.

On Wednesday his team manager at Astana, Johan Bruyneel, said nothing had yet been decided – and hinted the American could still race the world’s biggest bike race next July.

“Nothing has been decided yet. We know that Lance will definitely race the Giro d’Italia. For the Tour, it’s still 50-50,” said Bruyneel.

“But one thing’s for sure. He’s fitter at this period of the year in 2008 than he was, say, in 2003 or 2004.”

In the presence of the race’s last three champions, Spaniards Oscar Pereiro, Alberto Contador and Carlos Sastre, Tour director Christian Prudhomme unveiled an innovative race route that should keep the suspense going until the penultimate stage.

Beginning in Monaco on July 4, with a 15km uphill time trial, the race will notably feature a team time trial, on stage four, for the first time since
2005 with the finishing times and gaps counting for the overall classification.

Featuring seven mountain stages, 10 flat stages and three summit finishes, the race will feature a second individual time trial to be held over 40km around Lake Annecy on stage 18.

That means there will be no race against the clock on the penultimate stage, with organisers opting instead, thanks to quick travel possibilities afforded by the TGV fast train, to end a seven-year wait to re-include the difficult Mont Ventoux climb.

Armstrong famously lost to deceased Italian climber Marco Pantani on the bald slopes of the Ventoux in 2000, while the last time it featured, in 2002, a retired French climber took the stage win.

Although the stage to Ventoux looks difficult, the accumulation of efforts over three tough days in the Alps, and the race’s second time trial, just before then should help shape the outcome of the race.

Because of Armstrong’s return Contador, who recently made history when he added this year’s Tour of Spain crown to his 2008 Giro d’Italia title and Tour de France crown in 2007, still does not know whether he will race as team leader or not.

But he said: “I think it’s a very interesting course and that it will be decided before the Mont Ventoux. But whoever is wearing the yellow jersey that day (stage 20) will have huge pressure on his shoulders.”

Despite his absence from Wednesday’s presentation, Armstrong – and whether he can successfully co-habit with Contador at Astana – remains the question to which everyone wants the answer.

The man Contador beat in 2007 was Cadel Evans, the Australian who also finished runner-up twice this year to Sastre.

Evans applauded an “interesting but difficult” race, and believes that if Armstrong returns, he should not be counted out.

“If there’s anyone who can come back and win the Tour, even at the age of 37, it’s Armstrong,” said the Australian, who nonetheless fancies his own chances.

“Twice I’ve finished just off the top step of the podium, so I have to believe I’ve got a chance.”