Astana denied a report that Lance Armstrong will compete for the team at next year's Tour de France, as a bookmaker offered odds of 3-1 that the U.S. rider will win the race.

"He is no part of our team," said Philippe Maertens, a spokesman for the team that was barred from this year's Tour because of past doping violations, in an email last night.

VeloNews reported yesterday that Armstrong, a record seven- time winner of cycling's most prestigious race, would end his three-year retirement to compete in the 2009 Tour de France.

Armstrong, 36, would join Astana for five races next year: the Tour of California, Paris-Nice, Tour de Georgia, Dauphine- Libere and Tour de France, Velonews said on its Web site, citing unidentified people close to the situation.

Astana's team manager Johan Bruyneel, who was the director of Armstrong's teams for all of his Tour de France titles, told Cycling News he was unaware of any comeback by Armstrong.

Since retiring from professional cycling after the 2005 road-racing season, Armstrong has competed in marathons and last month finished second in a 100-mile (161 kilometer) mountain bike event in Colorado.

"I don't know where the rumors come from," Bruyneel was quoted as saying by Cycling News. "Maybe because Lance recently finished second in a 160 km mountain bike race. He has been training for it and he is in good shape."

`No Plans'

Several of Armstrong's former teammates ride for Astana, including Spain's Alberto Contador, the 2007 winner of the Tour de France. Dirk Demol, the leader of Armstrong's former Discovery team, recently signed with Astana for the 2009 season.

"Lance continued training hard after that mountain bike race," Maertens said. "He will do some cyclocross races as well in the USA. I cannot tell you more. Team Astana has no plans with him."

Armstrong's manager, Mark Higgins, didn't respond to telephone and email messages.

U.K. bookmaker William Hill is offering odds of 3-1 that Armstrong will win a record eighth Tour de France next year, spokesman Graham Sharpe said in an email. Bets would be returned if Armstrong did not race, he said.

VeloNews said Armstrong would race for no salary or bonus. Armstrong re-enrolled in the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency's out-of- competition testing program before last month's mountain bike race, USA Cycling Chief Executive Sean Petty told VeloNews.

USADA rules state that retired cyclists must be enrolled in the program for at least six months before they're eligible to compete again professionally.

The Astana team, named after Kazakhstan's capital city, is backed by the country's government and wasn't invited to the 2008 Tour de France because of past doping incidents.