Alberto Contador says the Astana cycling team has assured him that he will remain its leader despite the arrival of seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. Contador said he will quit Astana if his position is not secure, adding he has received offers to join other ProTour teams. “The team has given me guarantees that I will be the leader but I want the fullest guarantees possible,” the 2007 Tour de France winner was quoted as saying by sports daily Marca on Friday. Armstrong announced Wednesday he was joining Astana, reuniting him with his former team leader and close friend Johan Bruyneel. Armstrong said Thursday he doesn't expect to be team leader if he's not the best rider, adding that Bruyneel will make that decision. Contador, who is under contract with Astana until 2010, said he would only stay if he felt the team was riding for him and not Armstrong. “Everyone knows that Lance has a big personality and he dominates everything,” Contador said. “Under no circumstances do I want my sporting aims to be halted by his arrival. I have to see what aims Armstrong has, what his attitude will be and if Bruyneel is counting on him for the Tour.” The Madrid-born rider won the Spanish Vuelta earlier this month to complete the fastest sweep of the three major races. Contador has won the Vuelta, the Tour and the Giro d'Italia in 15 months. Armstrong, meanwhile, has said that he would race in the February 14-22 Tour of California. He said: “I said (on Wednesday) I was going to participate in the Tour Down Under (in Australia at the end of January) and the Tour de France (in July). I can now add that after the race in Australia, I'll get back into training and then race in the Tour of California.” Armstrong isn't either ruling out competing in the Giro d'Italia for the first time next year. “I only told you the races I will enter, therefore I don't exclude it,” Armstrong said in Thursday's sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport. “The next Giro is the 100th anniversary and I know how important it is for the ‘tifosi' (Italian for ‘fans').” The 2009 Giro is scheduled for May 9-31. The Tour de France starts July 4. “If I'm able to involve your prime minister (Silvio) Berlusconi in the fight against cancer and some other things line up, who knows, it could be the right year to come you're way,” Armstrong said. “Also, (Giro director Angelo) Zomegnan is a very dear friend.” Armstrong has continually claimed his comeback was to raise awareness of cancer through his “Livestrong” cancer prevention campaign.
