Smooth ride ahead

As far as Lance Armstrong is concerned, it’s all over. The stress, the waiting, the whispers about whether he doped during his stellar cycling career, all of it ended when – after nearly two years – federal prosecutors closed an investigation of him last week without bringing any charges. “I’m happy. I’m glad it’s behind me,” Armstrong (pictured right) said Thursday in his first interview since prosecutors announced they were dropping the case. The seven-time Tour de France winner said he remained confident he would not be indicted, but admitted the weight of the long investigation took a toll on him personally. “It’s not a pleasant experience. … It was difficult at times,” he said. “But I was confident that we would always end up in this place.” – AP