In previous Tours de France, Heras had been the mountain lynchpin of Armstrong's Tour de France successes, helping coax the American up the toughest climbs.
He also picked out Joseba Beloki and Roberto Heras as potential threats, but said he did not think they had the staying power to make a big impact on the overall standings.
It remains to be seen how long Heras will keep up with Armstrong et al but expect crowds to be left in awe by his climbing ability - he could yet be crowned king of the mountains - and will surely bring a stage victory on one of the tougher stages this time around.