Armstrong previews another time trial

After riding the Giro d'Italia's long individual time trial earlier in the week, Lance Armstrong turned his attention to the Tour de France's opening time trial yesterday in Monaco. The seven-time Tour winner plans to race the three-week race this year, July 4 to 26, as part of his comeback to cycling.

The time trial will be a challenging start to the Tour, with part of the route taking the riders up the coastal hills and into the hills of Monaco. There are several steep climbs, which included gradients of 10 percent.

Armstrong may preview the Giro time trial again next week, as well as some of the mountain stages of the Italian Grand Tour.

Next Saturday, March 21, he will line up for his first race in Europe since the 2005 Tour de France, Milano-Sanremo.

Jacques Anquetil, a five-time Tour winner, was the last rider to win a stage in Monaco. He won stage nine of the 1964 race, Briançon to Monaco.