FITNESS : Sports doctor Thegreatest; UNBEATABLE MIX OF GUTS,FITNESS AND SHEER WILL TO WIN MEANS LANCE CAN'T BE CAUGHT IN RACE TO FIND NO.1 CURRENT SUPERSTAR.

WHO is currently the world's greatest sportsman or woman?

How about golfer Tiger Woods or Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher?

What about triple Olympic champion athlete Marion Jones - the star of the Sydney Olympics - or American swimmer Michael Phelps, the 19-year-old triple world record-holder?

Until France failed to impress in Euro 2004 football fans might have chosen Zinedine Zidane.

But none of them getsmy vote. I'll go for Lance Armstrong - the winner in 2003 of the Tour de France for a record-equalling fifth year in a row.

If the US Postal team rider has his name on the trophy again this year it will truly be the Tour de Lance.

So why him? He is one of the few sportsmen whose achievements are known throughout the world and go well beyond the sport itself.

His preparation and dedication are legendary.

But Armstrong has had to overcome much more than just his opponents. His early success was dramatically interrupted when he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.

The disease was at such an advanced stage his very survival was in doubt. But with chemotherapy and a will to succeed that typifies his life, he not only survived but returned to the sport he loves.

Armstrong used his determination to rebuild his muscle strength to greater than before and become the undisputed King of the Tour.

The Tour de France is said to be the world's biggest annual sporting event. This year the 22 teams of nine riders will cover 20 stages and over 3000 km in a four-week period.

The uniqueness of the Tour is the contrast between heat, speed and power of the flat time trial stages to the steep and potential cold of the daunting, energy-draining mountain stages in the Pyrenees and Alps.

Despite the heat of July in France, storm clouds have been gathering with drug revelations tarnishing the reputation of the event.

Sadly this time it involves a Scot. David Millar has admitted to a judge he has taken the banned substance EPO. As a result he has been suspended and will miss both the Tour and Olympics.

EPO or erythropoetin is a hormone present naturally in our bodies and produced by the kidneys. Its natural purpose is to increase the oxygen-carrying red blood cells but when used illegally in sport will result in more oxygen being delivered to the muscles.

This allows athletes to train harder and for longer as well as increasing endurance, vital in cyclists.

Until recently it has been difficult to detect EPO in athletes who use it to cheat because it happens naturally in the body.

But new testing methods will help catch the culprits. This is not just good news for sport - but also the athletes.

Their health and life can sometimes be in danger and that is why education is vital.

EPO has potentially serious side effects. It causes the blood to become thicker, increasing the likelihood of both a heart attack and stroke.

As for Armstrong, there will be no relaxing on a sun-kissed beach after this year's Tour.

Instead he will cycle up the Champs Elysees and around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris before heading for Athens.

He has been chosen by USA Cycling as one of their eight road riders at next month's Olympic Games - his fourth.

Scots Chris Hoy and Craig MacLean, who with Jason Queally won silver in the team sprint in 2000, will join Armstrong in Athens.

Hoy won world and Commonwealth gold in 2002 and repeated his World Championship gold again this year.

Maclean is the British record holder at 1km and regarded as the world's best lead-off man.

I hope Armstrong breaks his own record and makes it six Tours in a row and that Hoy and Maclean come back with gold from Athens.

While all this is going on I'll be getting on my bike. Cycling is great fun for all the family and an excellent way to keep fit. So happy cycling - and don't forget the helmet.