Graphic: Tour de France 2009

The debate du jour in Monaco rages on. Just who is the nominated leader, afforded protected status, tended to by his team-mates, coveted by the sponsors, at the all-star Astana team of Lance Armstrong, Alberto Contador and Levi Leipheimer? Which of these potential Tour de France champions is really calling the shots?

Or is it simply that the team’s wily manager Johan Bruyneel, veteran of seven Tour wins as directeur to Armstrong, and three other Grand Tour successes with Contador, is hedging his bets, waiting for next week’s first mountain stage in Andorra before nailing his colours to the mast?

For the moment, Bruyneel maintains that Contador, of Spain, is the designated team leader. "We start with Alberto as leader," he said. "We respect him and value him for what he has done. I know there will be a lot of attempts to divide the team or create polemics within the team, but we will try to remain focused. We are here as a team, and we don't have any rivals within the team.”

But Armstrong’s recent comments don’t align with Bruyneel’s thinking. "It would be better to be open and honest,” the Texan said. “If you say that there's a leader, that's it, then everybody works for him. But this discussion never took place. Most people consider Alberto as the favourite and I think that he is the best stage race rider. But you shouldn't forget Leipheimer."

Rumours persist that Contador was desperate to escape Astana in the aftermath of Armstrong’s comeback announcement. While the Spaniard has enjoyed a close working relationship with Bruyneel during his career, largely since Armstrong's retirement, there’s little doubt that it is the American, who won his seven Tours with Bruyneel as his ally, who has the Belgian’s ear.

Armstrong's compatriot, the reliable Leipheimer, is not seen by many as a genuine contender for final victory in Paris, despite his consistency. But he has become something of a double-act, on and off the bike, with Armstrong. The pair have become regular training partners in Colorado and frequently post brief clips on the Livestrong website, which emphasise where their loyalties lie.

Meanwhile, defending champion Carlos Sastre has responded to Armstrong’s description of last year’s Tour as "a bit of a joke".

“It's his point of view,” the Spaniard said, shrugging. “I think he's a great champion – he won seven Tours de France. But just behind every rider must be a person, and in that respect, maybe he needs to learn something more."