Lance Armstrong of the USA and Astana prepares to train with his team in preparation for 2009 Tour de France which begins on July 2, 2009 in Monaco. Bryn Lennon/Getty Images Seven-time champion Lance Armstrong began his comeback at the Tour de France on Saturday by briefly taking the lead in the first-stage time trial in Monaco. The 37-year-old Texan set off 18th among the 180 riders who were rolling down the start ramp one-by-one in the race against the clock. Armstrong took an early lead with a time of 20 minutes, 13 seconds for the 9.6-mile ride along winding and hilly roads in the Mediterranean principality. But only 15 riders later, Germany's Tony Martin outpaced Armstrong by 7 seconds. Then Armstrong's Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer bettered that with a 20:03 clocking. Most of the time trial specialists and pre-race... [read full story]
