RESUMEN

The ALICE detector at LHC was optimised for the study of heavy ion collisions. However, proton collisions will represent the first and major part of the ALICE physics programme. Not only will properties of proton collisions be used for comparison with heavy ion collisions, but the ALICE detector, because of its unique sensitivity at low transverse momentum and particle identification capabilities, should be competitive with other experiments at the time of commissioning of the LHC. ALICE's strategy for first physics at LHC will be presented.