Fourth tour de force likely

CYCLING: Given that only Jacques Anquetil, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain have won four straight Tours de France, the fact that Lance Armstrong is still considered the clear favourite for this year's edition is testimony to his domination of recent years.

Armstrong won in 1999, 2000 and 2001, and, to put it bluntly, has been streets ahead of all the other contenders in the race.

Last year's display was his most impressive to date, with the Texan taking time out of his rivals almost at will. On the evidence of that display, his dominant form this season (he has already won the Midi Libre and Dauphine Libere races in 2002) and arch-rival Jan Ullrich's absence through injury, it is little wonder that the smart money is on Armstrong edging yet closer to a record-equalling five wins in the race.

There are, of course, those who care little for such historical possibilities. Perennial second-place finisher Ullrich may be out of the reckoning, but there are others who would dearly love to spoil the party.

Joseba Beloki, Igor González de Galdeano (both from team Once) and Kelme duo Oscar Sevilla and Santiago Botero are all potential victors, as are Armstrong's former team-mates Tyler Hamilton (CSC-Tiscali) and Levi Leipheimer (Rabobank).

The first pointers as to those in form come in tomorrow's prologue time-trial in Luxembourg.

A flat-out 7.3 kilometre lung-buster, this and Wednesday's team time-trial are the first challenges for the contenders who will otherwise sit back and let the sprinters and one-day specialists fight it out for stage wins.

Armstrong's next important rendezvous comes on Monday week, July 15th, in a 52 kilometre individual time-trial from Lancaster to Lorient, while the riders hit the high mountains for the first time three days later.

Following two days in the Pyrenees - where the contenders will slug it out to the summit finishes of La Mongie and the Plateau de Beille - the peloton will wind its way east towards the Alps and the fearsome climb of Mont Ventoux (July 21st).

More mountain-top finishes await at Les Deux Alpes and La Plagne, while the penultimate stage brings a 50 kilometre individual time-trial.

In all, 21 days of racing and a total of 3,000 kilometres. This is one of the shortest Tours on record, a move which the organisers hope will help to reduce doping within the peloton.

DOMESTIC FIXTURES

Friday, July 5th- Sunday, July 7th: Rás Connachta, Cong. Saturday, July 6th - Sunday, July 7th: National Underage Championships, Bray/Roundwood.