Armstrong to announce new team, will return to Tour in 2010

Paris - Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong will return to ride in the race in 2010 with a new team. In an interview published Wednesday in the daily L'Equipe, Armstrong said that the chances were '100 per cent' that he would race in the Tour next year. And in a note posted on his Twitter site, he said, 'Making a very cool announcement on Thursday re: a new American partner for our team in 2010 (and beyond).' At the same time, L'Equipe reported Armstrong's longtime collaborator Johan Bruyneel would be leaving his post as manager of the Kazakh Astana team for which Armstrong is riding this year. 'Everyone knows that my relations with the Kazakh sponsors have badly deteriorated in the past few months,' Bruyneel said. Bruyneel, who directed all seven of Armstrong's Tour championships, was behind a protest action by Astana riders during this year's Giro d'Italia because they had not received their pay. 'Even if I don't have another team next year, I will not be with Astana,' he said. But Thursday's announcement of a new team by Armstrong seems to ensure that Bruyneel will have a job in 2010. Armstrong told L'Equipe, 'I'll never ride for anyone else besides Johan Bruyneel. Never.' At the start of Wednesday's 17th stage, Armstrong was in second place in the standings, 1 minute 37 seconds behind Astana teammate Alberto Contador. Armstrong said that he was not feeling his 37 years. 'I don't feel the effects of aging,' he said. 'But four years away from the sport, that's important. It's difficult to come back. Next year will be a different story.'