Two-time Tour de France winner presents seven-time Tour de France winner with engraved watch.

Lance Armstrong has not spoken to former Astana team mate Alberto Contador in almost a year - or he does not remember if he did.

The Spaniard visited Armstrong's RadioShack team bus before Thursday's Tour de France fifth stage to offer the seven-times champion a watch inscribed "Tour de France 2009" as a souvenir of his victory in last year's race.

American Greg LeMond started the tradition in 1990 when he gave all his team mates a watch.

Armstrong, who had a tense relationship with Contador when they shared the leadership at Astana last season, did not personally receive the present.

"I didn't speak to him. I was in the back of the bus. I didn't see him. I was in the middle of something else," the 39-year-old American told reporters.

Armstrong raced against Contador only once this year at the Criterium International in Corsica and the pair did not talk to each other.

A photograph taken during the third stage of the Tour on Tuesday showed Armstrong standing up on his pedals and appearing angry as he looked at Contador.

"I saw that picture and it looks like we're having an argument but there's nothing. Absolutely not, absolutely not," the American said.

"I don't remember the chit-chat to be honest. It's not what it appears to be."

On arriving in Montargis after stage 5 of the Tour de France Lance Armstrong made the following comment about Contador's present. "Very generous of him. Obviously he recognizes he had the support of a great team so that's a nice gesture."

Commenting on his relationship with Contador in the 2010 Tour Armstrong told Roadcycling.com "It's fine, really. I think in the press room and maybe for the people in front of the TV it looks a bit heated, but it's really not. You know there's very little said, very little dialogue and that goes also from our team (RadioShack) to his team (Astana) you know I think there's a mutual level of respect there that we have for each other despite you know what went on in the last 12 months."

Armstrong added "I think we're both tired of drama and just looking forward to two weeks of seeing who's the best guy this year. You can't take away the fact that he's maybe the most talented guy to ever throw a leg over a bike.  I don't have a problem with saying that."

Armstrong lies 18th in the 2010 Tour de France standings, 50 seconds behind Contador who is ninth.