Cyclist Armstrong Has Encouraging Tour

GRANADA, Spain — Lance Armstrong finished the Ruta del Sol cycling tour in 15th place Thursday, an encouraging end to the former world champion's first competitive race since a year-long battle against cancer.

Armstrong's five-stage time was 21 hours, 40 minutes, 53 seconds, only less than a minute behind the winner, Spain's Marcelino Garcia.

Armstrong was clocked in the same time in the final stage of the race as winner Tom Steels of Belgium.

Armstrong, a two-time Olympian, won the 1993 world championship and was victorious in stages of the Tour de France in 1993 and 1996. He also won the Tour Du Pont in 1995 and 1996 before being diagnosed with testicular cancer.