Five-time Tour de France winner Eddy Merckx likes American Floyd Landis' chances to win this year's race.

Merckx says Landis seems to be in top form after wins this year so far at the Tour of California, the Tour de Georgia and Paris-Nice.

"He's in very good shape, he has a very good team," said Eddy Merckx, stepping out of the team bus before Wednesday's fourth stage. "I think he could win the Tour."

Merckx may not be totally impartial, though, since his son Axel, is a Phonak teammate of Landis.

Besides Landis, Merckx said he also likes American Levi Leipheimer, Russia's Denis Menchov and, to a lesser degree, Frenchman Christophe Moreau.

With several top rivals already out of the Tour due to illness, injury and a doping scandal, Landis may be feeling a bit more pressure, "but in the Tour de France, there is always pressure," Merckx said.

Landis was 23rd in Wednesday's fourth stage from Huy, Belgium, to Saint-Quentin and stands ninth overall -- 16 seconds back of leader Tom Boonen of Belgium. The Tour ends July 23 in Paris.

Merckx is considered by many to be the greatest rider of all time. He won the Tour from 1969-1972 and in 1974.