Armstrong's team stronger than ever

Lance Armstrong's back-up in his attempt to win a seventh and final Tour de France in July appears stronger than ever after the Giro d'Italia. The American has always been clear that winning cycling's showcase race was a team effort and repeatedly thanked his US Postal "blue train" for carrying him to Paris in relative comfort.

Despite a change of sponsor, Armstrong's team will again sport blue colours in the French countryside and new owners Discovery Channel already have several reasons to smile.

Italian Paolo Savoldelli won his second Giro d'Italia on Sunday while Ukraine's Yaroslav Popovych dominated the Tour of Catalunya a week earlier. Both will be tremendous supports for their team leader during the three weeks of the Tour de France.

"For the time being, I want to enjoy this pink jersey," Savoldelli said after winning his country's Tour for the second time.

"But I'll be on the Tour de France to help Lance. He's the strongest and I'll work for him."

Despite the absence of his most experienced team-mate Viaceslav Ekimov, forced out of the Tour after crashing in training last month, Armstrong will be assisted on French roads by some of the very best riders in the peloton.

Outside Savoldelli and Popovych, he will have fellow American George Hincapie by his side on the flat. Portugal's Jose Azevedo as well as Spain's Manuel Beltran and Jose Luis "Chechu" Rubiera will be precious aides in the mountains.

Two more riders are still to be picked by team director Johan Bruyneel, probably after next week's Dauphine Libere race which will mark Armstrong's return to the Pro Tour after a month of intensive training. The Texan said Savoldelli's Giro performance was excellent news with the Tour only a month away.

"We viewed him (Savoldelli) as someone who had a lot of potential and a lot of experience. He was a logical choice as team leader for the Giro," he said.

Armstrong insisted his decision to call it quits after the finish in Paris was final, whatever the outcome.

"If you lose one (Tour) at the age of 34, I don't think you have a great chance of winning one at 35," Armstrong said.

The Giro gave interesting indications on the form of his most serious Tour rivals.

Italian Ivan Basso, third last year, faltered unexpectedly as did last year's Giro winner Damiano Cunego, widely seen as the sport's next big name.

Gilberto Simoni finished second but the Italian climber has been annihilated by Armstrong in the Tour in recent years.

As a result Germany's Jan Ullrich, the 1997 Tour winner and Armstrong's arch-rival since 1999, will probably be the American's main concern again.