PARIS — The Tour de France's director says he will let Lance Armstrong's team race in 2009 as long as it stays clear of any doping violations in the run-up to the July 4 start.

Christian Prudhomme told The Associated Press that the Astana team "should be there if there are no ethical problems."

The Tour barred Astana in 2008 after recurrent doping problems. That raised questions about whether Astana and Armstrong would be invited in 2009.

Prudhomme said Thursday that "if nothing happens in the coming months, they should be at our races in 2009."

Armstrong, who retired in 2005, has announced a comeback with Astana aiming for an eighth Tour crown.