(CNN) -- Team Columbia chief Bob Stapleton has praised the return of Lance Armstong to competitive cycling -- and believes his fellow-American's presence in the peloton has boosted the sport's, and his team's, profile for the better.

Stapleton's team won more races than any other last season, a remarkable 86, with top sprinter Mark Cavendish responsible for 23 of those victories, with six coming in a Tour de France that received front page headlines because of seven-times winner Armstrong's return to the race.

"Lance's return has brought lots of publicity back to the sport and taken it back onto the world stage," Stapleton told CNN in an exclusive interview.

"It wasn't just Lance's comeback, but the way he raced that was so amazing. Viewing figures for the Tour de France went up 40 per cent in the States this year and brought cycling to the attention of the world's media, peaking at the Tour.

"That meant it was great for our team, because we were winning races all over the world. We felt if Lance was at a race, we absolutely, positively, had to put on a good show -- and Mark in particular delivered that.

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