Armstrong says Contador is best rider

By Julien Pretot

TENERIFE, Spain (Reuters) - Seven-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong was full of praise for his new Astana team mate Alberto Contador on Thursday.

The duo will ride the Tour together next year after Armstrong, back in action after a three-year retirement, confirmed this week he would again take part in the famous race.

"He (Contador) has a tremendous amount of talent," Armstrong told a news conference at Astana's training camp in Tenerife.

"It's pretty simple. This guy ... sitting on my left is the best cyclist in the world."

Tensions appeared to rise earlier this year when Spaniard Contador, who won the Tour in 2007, threatened to leave if he was not guaranteed team leadership.

Armstrong, however, played the issue down.

"There are some unwritten laws in cycling that say the other riders support the better rider," said the 37-year-old American.

"There is a chance I am the second-best rider, a chance I am the third-best rider, so then I will respect the rules of cycling, the orders from the team and if that means supporting Alberto, Levi (Leipheimer) or Andreas (Kloeden) I will do it."  Continued...