Tour de France gets underway on Saturday

Tour de France gets underway on Saturday
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By h.b. - Jul 3, 2009 - 8:10 AM

Carlos Sastre - EFE

Spaniards have dominated the race for the past three years, but this year Lance Armstrong is back

Spain has dominated the Tour de France cycle race for the past three years. Carlos Sastre is the current champion, Alberto Contador won in 2007, and Óscar Pereiro in 2006, and preparations are now well underway in Monaco for the start of the 96th edition of the race on Saturday.

Those three years saw the absence of one certain Lance Armstrong, who is back out of retirement this year and challenging again. He won the race six times from 1999 onwards but is not the favourite this time, with that honour going to his Astana teammate Contador. Others expect a good performance from the Australian mountain expert Cadel Evans.

One Spaniard who will not be racing is Alejandro Valverde, who has been banned by Italy from racing in the country because of drugs allegations, and this year, the Tour de France crosses into Italy.

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