University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston medical student Autumn Ray came back from a weekend in New Orleans with a terrific souvenir. She earned the first-place trophy at the New Orleans Mardi Gras Marathon by running the race in 2 hours, 58 minutes and 42 seconds.

PARIS (AP) -- The Paris-Nice race traditionally provides the first glimpse of a rider's form ahead of the Tour de France. This year it's delivering the first look at an increasingly dysfunctional sport.

Find breaking news & sports news on the Tour de France, cycling, bicycling, Lance Armstrong.

At age 7, most children are awkwardly pedaling bicycles with jerky movements and unsure balance. They are not hopping onto 80-pound motocross bikes, racing around dirt tracks among more than a dozen other speeding dirt bikes or competing in a sport typically reserved for adults.

Albany -- Thousands of tourists are pouring into Albany this weekend for three big events. Downtown Albany will host a marathon with more than a thousand runners, a pro bicycle race with 500 competitors, and the Mardi Gras street party.

Clickety clack, Europe! Clear a little corner, warm up your tossin' arm and get ready for a rousing round of Black Dice . The New York noisemakers have big plans to bring a Load of their electroid madness over much of the continent, as the band embark on a tour sure to beguile and bewilder in equal measure.

(Above left) People lined the streets of Santa Paula watching and cheering their favorite Amgen Tour of California bicycle rider.

David Armstrong passed away on Feb. 11, 2008 at Avista Hospital in Louisville, Colorado of respiratory failure. Services were held at Arvada United Methodist Church in Arvada, Colo., on Feb. 19, with Rev. Russell Butler officiating. The burial will follow at Fort Logan Cemetery in Denver.

David Armstrong passed away on Feb. 11, 2008 at Avista Hospital in Louisville, Colorado of respiratory failure. Services were held at Arvada United Methodist Church in Arvada, Colo., on Feb. 19, with Rev. Russell Butler officiating. The burial will follow at Fort Logan Cemetery in Denver.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Cycling champion Lance Armstrong says when he comes to Wisconsin next week to push for a statewide smoking ban it will mark the first time he's ever been asked to do that.