The Latest: Tour de France boss brushes off Armstrong’s ride (The Associated Press)

Tour de France director Christian Prudhomme brushed off Lance Armstrong’s return to French roads for a charity ride this week, saying the Texan’s jaunt Thursday was ”not the same region” where the pack was riding in Stage 12. Prudhomme preferred to keep his mind on the race, and a visit by French Prime Minister Manuel Valls to the course on Thursday – not Armstrong’s ride. Stripped of his seven Tour titles for doping, Armstrong was riding Thursday and Friday in France in an event aimed to help fight blood cancer.