Italian flavour to Armstrong comeback

Tour de France icon Lance Armstrong has caused a surprise by including the Milan SanRemo one-day classic in his racing plans this season.

The seven-time yellow jersey champion officially ends his retirement after a three and a half year hiatus when he saddles up for the Tour Down Under stage race this Tuesday.

But as the 37-year-old gears up for a tilt at a possible Giro d'Italia/Tour de France double this summer, he also intends competing in some races to which, during his yellow jersey reign in 1999-2005, he paid scant attention.

Milan-SanRemo is Italy's biggest one-day classic and one of the five "monuments" of one-day racing alongside Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders and the Tour of Lombardy.

Usually held on the third weekend of March, SanRemo - and the Tour of Trentino in mid to late April - will feature as part of Armstrong's preparations for the Giro d'Italia, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year.

Armstrong's team manager at Astana, Johan Bruyneel, said Armstrong will also compete in February's Tour of California, the two-day Criterium International in March in France and "probably" the Tour of Flanders in April before racing at Trentino and the Giro.

Bruyneel said the Texan's last race of the season would be July's Tour de France in July.

"If the schedule stays like this, there will be no other races," said Bruyneel, who helped orchestrate Armstrong's successful yellow jersey campaign.

On paper, it gives Armstrong's comeback a decidedly Italian flavour this season.

Early in his career the American lived in Como, northern Italy, and he has been firm friends with Giro organiser Angelo Zomegnan for many years.

Despite snubbing the Giro for the Tour de France for many years, Armstrong is held in high esteem in cycling-mad Italy, and he said Saturday: "I feel like I have a good relationship with the Italians."

Although he has endured mixed relations with France over the years, due to a series of unfounded doping allegations, Armstrong said he had "no problems" with organisers of the world's biggest bike race.

Yet mystery still surrounds Armstrong's real ambitions at both three-week Tours.

With Spanish teammate Alberto Contador, the 2007 Tour de France champion who also won the Giro and the Tour of Spain in 2008, expected to lead Astana's Tour de France bid, Armstrong may concentrate more on the Giro's pink jersey.

Asked if he had the tools to aim realistically for an eighth yellow jersey this July, Armstrong did not play down his ambitions for July.

"I will answer the question in March, April or May. I can't answer it right now."