Contador will lead Team Astana;
Poll results say it should be highest placed

Spanish cyclist Alberto Contador is the choice to lead Team Astana's 9-man squad at the 2009 Tour de France this year.

Citing his 2007 Tour de France championship and victories at all three Grand Tours, team manager Johan Bruyneel writes at the Astana website:

 “… It's hard to find a better stage race rider than Alberto. He has worked very hard, earning the right to represent our team as the leader this July.”

In a poll that ran on BikingBis.com this week, I asked whether Contador, Lance Armstrong, Levi Leipheimer or “race position” should determine the team leader.

While 28% of respondents picked Contador, 35% said race position should be the deciding factor in choosing a team leader for Astana.

Leipheimer received 21% of the vote, and 15% of respondents said Armstrong should get the nod.

Team Astana has found itself in somewhat of a pickle this year by promoting a squad with three cyclists capable of making a bid for a Tour de France championship.

Joe Lindsey at Bicycling.com's Boulder Report goes so far as to suggest turmoil within Team Astana, considering the earlier problem with making payroll and intrasquad rivalries.

In addition to Contador, Armstrong and Leipheimer, the other six team members are Andreas Klöden,Yaroslav Popovych, Haimar Zubeldia, Sergio Paulinho, Gregory Rast and Dimitriy Muravyey.

All but Muravyey have previous Tour de France experience.

Oregon native Chris Horner was not named to the squad. He had raced with Armstrong and Leipheimer in several previous appearance this year.

Here are the poll results.