Actor Ben Stiller paid a visit to Lance Armstrong before the Tour de France third stage and tipped Matt Damon to play the lead role in a biopic of the American's life.

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"I tried to give him some pointers but I don't think I was really helpful," Stiller, one of Hollywood's top box-office performers, said when leaving the Astana bus.

Asked if he would like to star as Armstrong in a planned biopic on the 37-year-old Texan, Stiller said: "Who are you talking about? Damon would be good I think."

Fellow actor Damon has been linked with the role.