Sastre to face Lance Armstrong in Italy

Tour de France champion Carlos Sastre and Lance Armstrong will battle it out at next year's Giro d'Italia.

Armstrong is still undecided over whether he will compete in the Tour, a competition he has won seven times.

But the American has committed to the event in Italy and he will now come up against Sastre, who had been previously undecided over his own participation.

"The Giro d'Italia will be my first important goal, I will be ready for the start," the Spaniard said.

"If I go to the Giro it is not just for training," he added.

Armstrong, 37, retired in 2005 but recently announced he would return to the sport in 2009.

The American dominated the Tour between 1999 and 2005 and is said to be 50-50 to race in next year's competition.

And the appearance of Armstrong at the Giro will give Sastre extra motivation.

"To have Lance in front of me and to try to beat him is really nice," Sastre said.

"It will be his first Giro d'Italia, and that is where I will have an advantage over him. It is my fourth Giro."