tabulas.com

As Roger Federer dominates tennis betting, it's fitting to see the legend Lance Armstrong back in action for the 2009 Tour de France. All eyes will be on Lance, a seven-time winner, as he returns to the race after a three-year absence.

There are many questions on cycling fans' minds entering Tour de France betting. For one, are we still supposed to view Armstrong as the favorite, or will he not be the same rider? We have to assume he'll be at least a little rusty after such a long layoff. Also, we can't ignore the ugly crash he had in February, in which he broke his collarbone. He had corrective surgery and doctors claim he's totally healed, but riding the Tour de France after that type of injury will push his body at a higher level. What if the damage to his body catches up to him?

More importantly, those who make daily sports picks have to give Alberto Contador more respect. He's 11 years younger than Armstrong, entering his prime at age 26. He also won the event in 2007, so it's not like he can't handle the pressure. The sportsbooks rate Contador properly, as he's a whopping +110 favorite to win the race, so maybe it's time for the Armstrong supporters to be realistic. It's probably smarter betting management to place your chips on Contador. Also, remember that these two riders are teammates. It's entirely possible that Armstrong could bow out and devote himself to protecting Contador.

Then again, this is Lance...do you think he'd be willing to settle for less than first place? Only time will tell.