Miguel Indurain will not be the odds-on favorite, for a change, after showing some off-form in the early season.
Tony Rominger will mount a serious challenge thanks to preparation in the Rocky Mountains.
The American hope will not be Greg LeMond this year, but Lance Armstrong, as LeMond, racing for the Gan team, has been in poor form. LeMond, a three-time winner, pulled out of last year's race because of health problems. And Russian Yevgeny Berzin, despite winning the traditional warm-up Giro d'Italia, will not be taking part, citing training commitments.
The Tour begins Saturday July 2 and starts a leisurely journey counterclockwise around France. In all it will be a 23-day, 3,970-kilometer journey.
A time trial up to Morzine on July 22, just two days before the end of the race, will probably be the determining factor. Organizers wanted a late time trial in hopes of keeping more suspense in the race. Indurain has won the last three years; in the last two he's made winning look easy.
However early season injuries slowed his training and he was just third in the Tour of Italy.
Rominger was second last year to Indurain, taking two tough mountain stages and winning the last time trial. But, a flat tire and a freak storm during the first time trial dashed his chances.
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