SILVER CITY, N.M. — Long before Lance Armstrong showed up, the Tour of the Gila was widely respected within the tight-knit cycling community. With a fresh 3-year sponsorship commitment, the race looks stronger than ever.

But will Armstrong return?

Don't count on it. If not for his recovery from a broken collarbone, it was likely Armstrong would have been racing or training elsewhere during his preparations for this week's Giro d'Italia.

"Normally, we wouldn't have raced here," said Armstrong's boss, Astana general manager Johan Bruyneel.

Armstrong brought his considerable star power to the 23rd annual Tour of the Gila. He placed second overall behind Astana teammate Levi Leipheimer, who won two of the five stages.

"The people in New Mexico were great," Armstrong said. "This is a great and a hard race. I am glad we raced here. It is better to start in the Giro having done this race than nothing. I cannot complain."

The event attracted more news coverage than usual, which left organizers glowing and state tourism officials scrambling to figure out how to continue supporting a race that Armstrong called "an American classic."

This year's Gila was nearly canceled because of a lack of corporate support in February, when race director Jack Brennan sent 150 e-mails asking for help. A few weeks later, bicycle components manufacturer Sram Corp. became the title sponsor.

"We said, 'There's no way this race is going away,"' said David Zimberoff, Sram's global marketing director.

Of course, since Armstrong is a Sram investor, the title agreement was key to bringing him to New Mexico. But there were questions, especially after the injury, about whether it would work with Armstrong's busy calendar.

Then came a behind-the-scenes tussle with cycling's international governing body, which was threatening to enforce a rule barring top-level pro riders like Armstrong, Leipheimer and teammate Chris Horner.

USA Cycling officials successfully appealed. With that issue resolved, Armstrong signed in and Silver City rejoiced.

"I'm so thrilled for all the people who work tirelessly to put on this race," said Cheri Crane, who operates a day spa near the downtown criterium course. "It's such a joy to have someone of Lance's magnitude come here."

Police estimated crowds were 10 times the size of previous years for Saturday's criterium and televised highlights were broadcast around the world.

Brennan said the 171 pro riders represented the largest field ever. The Gila race always held credibility with cyclists, he said, but having Armstrong and his teammates "widened our audience."

"Having Lance here is the ultimate cherry on top," Zimberoff said.

What's next for the New Mexico race?

Some locals worry the event could morph into a corporate conglomeration but Brennan said he simply hopes to expand the sport's reach in the United States. He sees the Sram partnership as an opportunity for the Tour of the Gila to play a role.

"I'm not a great visionary. I'm a worker bee. I think Sram has ideas on what they want to do with the race and we hope to work well together," Brennan said.

Armstrong, Leipheimer and Horner, meanwhile, echoed what less famous cyclists have been saying for years. They raved about the tough rides, good roads, demanding climbs and spectacular scenery in southwest New Mexico.

"We enjoyed ourselves," Leipheimer said. "It was a great week."