The Kazakhstan government has agreed to back Lance Armstrong's star-studded Astana cycling team for the rest of the 2009 season, including the Tour de France, a team spokesman said.

The promise of support guarantees the involvement of seven-times Tour winner Armstrong and 2007 winner Alberto Contador in the race which starts in Monaco on June 4.

"It was impossible to imagine our team being outside the world's greatest event," said Astana manager Johan Bruyneel, who confirmed there would be no change in the team's line-up of riders.

"It means we can look forward to the next races, for us this is a fresh start," he added.

Bruyneel gave no information about the future of Kazakh rider and former Asztana team leader Alexander Vinokourov, who remains under suspension for doping until the end of July.

Outstanding differences have apparently now been settled between the Kazakh cycling federation, the team's licence-holder, and the International Cycling Union (UCI).

The UCI had threatened to rescind the team's Pro-Tour competition licence after the team's riders were reportedly not paid for two months.

Kazakh Minister of Tourism and Sport Temirjan Dosmukhambetov was quoted as saying last week that a mystery American organisation had been lined up to invest in the team.

AFP