Armstrong and Contador train together for 3rd day

TENERIFE, Canary Islands — No one has been more impressed by Lance Armstrong's fitness level in his cycling comeback than teammate and fellow American Levi Leipheimer.

Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France champion, trained for a third day Friday with the Astana team as he prepares for his return to racing following three years of retirement.

Former Salt Laker Leipheimer said the 37-year-old Armstrong already looks like a legitimate contender to win his first Giro d'Italia in May.

"That's another surprise, he's really strong," Leipheimer said. "Even if we were talking about 2003, 2004 I think we would say, 'Wow, he's riding really good for December."'

Armstrong rode alongside 2007 Tour champion Alberto Contador for the third straight day Friday. Armstrong ceded the team leader title to the Spaniard on Thursday, although team boss Johan Bruyneel said the rider who was stronger come the Tour's July 4 start date would get the No. 1 status.

Armstrong and Contador posed for photographers with a handshake from their bicycles for the second straight day before the team peloton made its way toward Mount Teide, Spain's highest mountain at 12,198-feet.

The group was given a police escort out of the team's hotel and onto the roads with the media giving chase by car and motorcycle.

"There's obviously a lot of attention with Lance and that's one thing that sticks out," Leipheimer said. "It's what we expected. There's a lot of people here, a lot of attention."

Armstrong has focused on winning the Italian classic in his first try, with Contador setting his goal as a second Tour title.

The 25-year-old Spaniard, who won the Tour with Discovery Channel, was unable to defend the title this year when Astana was banned for prior doping scandals.

With 27 Astana riders at the camp and so much media stalking the front of the team's hotel, Leipheimer wasn't able to get a great sense of the budding relationship between cycling's two superstars.

"There's so many people here that I don't think you could say that there is anything going on," the 35-year-old Leipheimer said. "I don't get a good sense of what Lance and Alberto are doing together. I haven't seen much of it."

Several Astana riders emerged from the hotel to take photos of the awaiting media scrum before returning to the sanctuary of their rooms.

"It's a big story in cycling, cycling is on the front page which is a good thing," Leipheimer said. "Lance is committed to keeping (cycling) in a good light."

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