Armstrong's brand appeal

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Lance Armstrong can add marketing phenom to his resume. The world-class cyclist is one of the top product endorsers in the country. And he shows no sign of slowing down as more businesses align them

selves with him, from cycling companies to automakers.

The 31-year-old cancer survivor is preparing for what could be his fifth straight win in the 23-day Tour de France --the sport's biggest and most rigorous event, covering more than 2,100 miles through the French countryside. Armstrong, the favorite, would be tied with one other cyclist with five straight wins. He also would be one race closer to setting a new record for most consecutive Tour de France victories.

The race, celebrating its centennial, begins Saturday with 22 nine-member teams from all over the world. It will begin in Paris, loop around France in 20 stages and end with the traditional ride down the Champs-Elysees in Paris.

As Armstrong's popularity soars, so has the number of companies affiliated with him --from team sponsors such as the U.S. Postal Service and Berry Floor, a European laminate-flooring company, to individual deals with Subaru of America Inc. and PowerBars.

Last year Armstrong was the fifth-biggest product pitchman among athletes, behind Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Anna Kournikova, according to a survey by Burns Sports & Celebrities Inc. of Evanston, Ill.

"America loves anyone who can overcome adversity like Lance has," says Burns' chief executive, Bob Williams. "It's an all-American story. As a company, you are the indirect beneficiary of his positive image."

Going postal

In the first leg of the 100th Tour de France, Armstrong and eight teammates will be decked out in red, white and blue uniforms saturated with the Postal Service logo, among others. The team's nearly two dozen sponsors include Visa, Nike, Coca-Cola, Trek Bicycles, Thomas Weisel Partners and All Sport Body Quencher.