July, and last year's winner Alejandro Valverde, who is serving a suspension for doping.

BBC: Cavendish in red

The Spaniard, who won the race in 2004, shook off compatriot Alejandro Valverde 4km from the finish to cover the 169km in five hours 01.42 minutes.

BBC: SPORT | Other Sport... | Cycling | Mayo masters Alps to claim stage

In a last sprint, the young and promising Spanish rider Alejandro Valverde actually crossed the finish line before Armstrong, but Valverde is not considered one of Armstrong's main competitors in this year's race.

NPR: Armstrong Back in Yellow in Mountains

The 34-year-old knows the terrain well around Varese but will have to fend off the challenge of Oscar Freire and his powerful Spanish squad, which includes Vuelta Espana winner Alberto Contador, Olympic champion Samuel Sanchez and UCI ProTour winner Alejandro Valverde.

BBC: Cooke leads GB Worlds challenge