Lance Armstrong a solid 10th in Tour de France's first stage

MONACO — Lance Armstrong put in a solid performance in his comeback at the Tour de France on Saturday, finishing the first stage ahead of 170 riders many years younger, and a respectable 10th behind winner Fabian Cancellara.

Armstrong's Astana team was dominant in the time trial through the hills and hairpin turns of Monaco, led by the cyclist who would be his heir as Tour titan — Alberto Contador of Spain.

Cancellara, the Olympic champion, took the yellow jersey by finishing the 9.6-mile time trial in 19 minutes, 32 seconds — 18 seconds ahead of Contador, the 2007 Tour winner. Bradley Wiggins of Britain finished another second back in third place.

Armstrong was 40 seconds off the pace.

Armstrong, who has a record seven Tour victories, returned to cycling's showcase event after ending a 3 ½-year retirement last winter. The 37-year-old Texan is one of the oldest riders in the pack.

"When I finished, I was tired — yeah, it was a hard race," he said.

"I didn't expect to win or to take the [leader's] jersey. I didn't expect a super, super performance," Armstrong said. "It's been a long time since I've had that emotion of being on the start ramp at the Tour."

The race against the clock, in which riders set off one by one, offered an early shakeout of potential contenders to win the three-week cycling showcase.

Contador, the presumed leader of the Astana team, showed he was ready.

"Fabian is a great champion ... [but] my form is very good," the 26-year-old Spaniard said. "I must try to keep up this level. I think I have started well."

Contador was forced to sit out last year because of doping problems at Astana before he joined the team. He is a far better climber than Cancellara, and the Pyrenees loom in Stage 7.

Contador led four Astana riders into the top 10. Andreas Kloeden of Germany was fourth, American Levi Leipheimer was sixth and Armstrong 10th.

Much has been made of Armstrong's rivalry with Contador, who has a chance to join him as one of cycling's greatest riders. Contador has already won each of the Grand Tours of France, Italy and Spain — a feat accomplished by only five riders, and not Armstrong.

On his Twitter account, Armstrong hailed Leipheimer's "awesome" ride, but he didn't give an immediate reaction about the performance of Contador.

Armstrong took the provisional lead early in the time trial, baring his teeth and pedaling up out of the saddle as he neared the finish.

Only 15 riders later, Tony Martin of Germany outpaced him. Others also soon bettered Armstrong's time, including Leipheimer and Liquigas rider Roman Kreuziger.

During his reign as Tour champ, Armstrong never finished lower than third in a time trial, except once, when he placed seventh in one in 2003.

In a 2005 time trial, Armstrong outpaced Cancellara by more than a minute.

"I think maybe in 5 years there are other riders coming and they will be faster than me. That's cycling — that's time," Cancellara said, when asked about Armstrong. "I also get older."

Notes

• Two-time Tour runner-up Cadel Evans of Australia finished 23 seconds behind Cancellara in fifth place. Reigning Tour champ Carlos Sastre was 1:06 behind in 21st place, and Giro d'Italia winner Denis Menchov was 1:31 back in 53rd.

• Wenatchee's Tyler Farrar, the first rider from the state to participate in the Tour de France, placed 77th in the 180-rider field, 1:42 back. His Garmin-Slipstream team expects the 25-year-old sprint specialist to contend for stage victories.

• American George Hincapie, riding in his 12th Tour, was 34th, 1:17 off the pace.

• Today's second stage is a 116.2-mile ride across plains from Monaco to Brignoles, France. The stage is punctuated by four small climbs and is likely to favor breakaway riders.

AP sports writer Samuel Petrequin and columnist John Leicester contributed to this report.