Sastre says Armstrong must learn respect after ridiculing 2008 Tour

DEFENDING Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre says Lance Armstrong could use a lesson in respect after the Texan reportedly called the race last year "a bit of a joke".

Sastre, a 34-year-old Spanish veteran, says seven-time Tour champion Armstrong is entitled to his opinion – but insists it's the wrong one. "It his point of view, it's his words – his life," Sastre said of Armstrong yesterday, on the eve of the race. "He is a great champion, he won seven Tours de France, a world championship, he's a great rider."

"But behind every rider must be a person, and on that point, maybe he needs to learn something more," he said, adding: "There is something wrong with him about respect."

In the new book, Lance – The Making of the World's Greatest Champion by John Wilcockson, Armstrong is said to have recounted his early musings about a possible comeback after the 2008 Tour. "The Tour was a bit of a joke this year. I've got nothing against Sastre ... or Christian Vande Velde," he was quoted as saying shortly after the race last year. "Christian's a nice guy, but finishing fifth in the Tour de France? Come on!"

Vande Velde, of the Garmin-Slipstream team; Sastre, of Cervelo, and Armstrong and 2007 Tour winner and pre-race favourite Alberto Contador of Astana will square off among the 180 riders set to start the race today in Monaco.

Sastre shrugged off all the attention heaped on Armstrong and Contador, saying he prefers to express himself "in the saddle", not in the media spotlight.

But make no mistake: he will be the only rider wearing jersey No 1 today. Quietly, he has demonstrated solid recent form, with two mountain-stage wins and a fourth-place finish overall at the Giro d'Italia in May.

The Tour better suits Sastre this year than most: the 96th edition favours climbers. Time-trials – which are not his strength – have been given relatively less importance than the mountains, where he excels.

Sastre is not the only rider overshadowed by the suspected Contador-Armstrong rivalry which has drawn most of the media attention.

Also not to be ruled out in the title quest that ends on 26 July on Paris' Champs-Elysees are Russia's Denis Menchov, who won the Giro d'Italia in May; Cadel Evans of Australia, runner-up at the Tour for the last two years; and the Schleck brothers, Andy and Frank.

Yesterday, an unofficial poll of 30 current riders, race veterans and team sports directors in the French sports daily L'Equipe showed that most don't expect Sastre to make the podium this year. They picked Contador first, Evans was second, and Menchov third. Armstrong and Sastre were tied for fifth.

But Sastre believes otherwise. "I think that I am ready for this race," he said. "Winning the Tour de France last year has changed a lot of things, but myself: I'm the same person."

But can he win again? "Yes, why not?" he said with a grin.

Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel, meanwhile, has admitted there are still doubts as to how Armstrong will perform in this year's contest.

Bruyneel, the man behind the American's seven Tour titles from 1999 to 2005, said Armstrong's programme was so different to the one he followed in his prime that it was almost impossible to tell what would happen when the race starts.

"We are a bit struggling for reference marks. We have had a different programme either of necessity or because of (Lance's] choice to favour his personal life," Bruyneel told a news conference.

"We are a bit lost and I really do not know what to expect."

Armstrong, who returned to racing in January after three-and-a-half years in retirement, used to focus only on the Tour but took part in the Giro for the first time this year. However, his preparation for the Italian race was hampered after breaking his collarbone in a crash in March.

The 37-year-old Texan also wished to be closer to his family, with his partner last month giving birth to a son, Maxwell – Armstrong's fourth child.

For a change, Armstrong will not have a whole team dedicated to him this year, as Contador, the race's hot favourite, has been named Astana's leader on the Tour.

Cycling fans, critics and pundits should, however, have a first indication of how Armstrong's form measures up when he starts his French campaign in this afternoon's 15.5-km time trial in the principality of Monaco.

"There will be a good indication tomorrow," said Bruyneel. "From what we know, I would say that the biggest favourite for the race is Alberto.

"Let's not forget there are other riders in other teams but also in our team," he added, referring to Astana's Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloeden, who have finished previous Tours on the podium.