Discovery Channel returns to this year’s Tour de France with aspirations of finishing on the top-three podium when the race ends July 29 in Paris.

That’s a marked contrast from the days when Lance Armstrong ripped through seven consecutive Tour victories from 1999-2005. The American team thought they had another winner in Ivan Basso, but the Italian has since been banned for two years for his involvement in the Operación Puerto case that threw Discovery’s plans into chaos.

The team will reload with veteran Levi Leipheimer, who was brought on as outright team captain months before Discovery Channel took a high-risk bet with Basso.

With Basso out of the picture, the team will rally around the consistency provided by Leipheimer and play some wild cards with Alberto Contador and Yaroslav Popovych.

“I think Levi has a chance to get on the podium,” Bruyneel told VeloNews. “He has the experience. He’s been three times in the top 10. He’s show he’s capable.”

The Belgian director said Leipheimer should be counted among the favorites ahead of the July 7 start of the Tour.

“If you look at the statistics of the riders who will be at the start line in London, only Vinokourov beat Levi in 2005, and that was on the last day,” said Bruyneel, referring to Vinokourov’s attack into Paris to win the final stage and bounce ahead of Leipheimer into fifth.

“The other guys ahead of him will not be at the Tour, so that’s a good reference point,” he said. “Last year he was a little off and at the end of the Tour he didn’t quite have the best form. That’s because he was super at the Dauphiné last year. The plan this year is for him to hit his peak in July.”

Bruyneel expressed satisfaction with Leipheimer’s performance at the Dauphiné Libéré, where the Californian got zapped with a stomach bug but was able to go on a final-day flier for victory only to fall about 4km from the finish in Annecy.

“We can see from the Dauphiné that the big favorite will be Astana. Vinokourov is the man to beat,” he said. “That’s who everyone has to focus on.”

For Contador, Bruyneel believes he can fight for the best young rider’s white jersey as well as help Leipheimer in the high mountains.

“That’s something that happens on the road. You can’t chase a breakaway just to protect the white jersey,” he said.

Patacchi's Salbutamol use questioned
After winning five stages in this year’s Giro d’Italia, Alessandro Petacchi is facing questions on his use of the bronchodilator Salbutamol.

Salbutamol is widely used by cyclists, many of whom have therapeutic use exemptions (TUE) for problems related to exercise-induced asthma. The drug is often delivered via an inhaler to provide quick relief of bronchospasms and other asthma symptoms.

The drug can be injected and some studies have also shown that use of the drug can accelerate fat loss in a weight control program. Riders with a TUE for the drug are monitored to ensure that use is limited to common therapeutic doses.

Petacchi tested positive for Salbutamol during the Giro and Italy’s Olympic Committee has been asked by the UCI to investigate whether the sprinter’s use was appropriate.