Lance to return for Tour Down Under

The guesswork has gone for cycling star Lance Armstrong as he returns to Adelaide
for his second Tour Down Under.
The seven-time Tour de France champion will again be a focus of attention next week
ahead of the January 17-24 race.
Speaking from his training camp in Hawaii, Armstrong said he is much better prepared
and fitter than he was 12 months ago when he came to the Tour for the first time.
Armstrong used the Adelaide race to make his cycling comeback after three years of
retirement.
Asked about his mindset for the Tour this time, Armstrong told AAP: "Totally
different, because last year it had been three and a half years since I had raced.
"I don't even know what my mindset was - my mindset was 'I'm just going to get back
into the thing, I don't know what the sport is like these days, I don't know what
the tempo is like these days'.
"I know all of those things now - as I sit here and train in Hawaii, there's no
guesswork for me.
"I'm not curious at all and that helps, a lot.
"Then, the fact that I've done a full racing season ... that just helps build the
base I didn't have last year."
But Armstrong also is trying to carefully manage expectations, saying he does not
expect to contend for the Tour win.
He finished a credible 29th overall last year.
The initial goal for his new RadioShack team will be stage wins and their principle
rider will be Belgian sprinter Gert Steegmans, not Armstrong.
The Texan will also share the limelight more after last year's incredible success,
when Armstrong's presence dramatically boosted the event's popularity and
international profile.
Armstrong was paid an appearance fee and the investment had a massive pay off.
This time, Armstrong will share the main billing with Australia's newly-crowned
world road race champion Cadel Evans.
Asked if he was fitter than 12 months ago, Armstrong replied: "Probably yeah - but
whenever I say that, expectations go up.
"It's human nature for people to have those expectations and the one you can't do -
you don't want to say 'I have to win', but you can't completely let them down.
"I certainly don't expect to win, but I expect to be stronger than last year."
Apart from beginning his comeback, Armstrong also used the Tour Down Under last year
to launch his global cancer awareness initiative.
Later in the year he had a running feud with Astana team-mate Alberto Contador, who
won the July Tour de France as Armstrong finished third.
Armstrong has since left Astana to spearhead RadioShack which will debut at the Tour
Down Under.
He said his focus this year will be on winning his eighth Tour de France title, with
less time spent on his high-profile cancer advocacy work.
"There will be definitely more emphasis on the race from me, but that will probably
be consistent throughout the year," he said.
"My time and training and focus and emphasis on racing will be a little more than it
was last year.
"I'm really doubling down on the racing side of things to see if we can get an
eighth Tour (title)."