The Tour de France is a wicked sport in the way that it's not just man against man or woman against woman; it's not flesh against flesh. It's flesh against machine.
But, listen, Eddie Merkyx would have won six Tours if he hadn't been punched.
Cycling was the sport of our family - we did it all the time, five days a week.
If we went to the Tour, I'd have to think, what would our purpose be? Would it be to win the Tour de France? I'm not sure I want that pressure.
Second doesn't mean anything in cycling.
Cycling has never felt like a job. To get paid for something that you absolutely love is amazing. I don't feel like I work. I just do it because I love it and I get paid to do it. I just think: 'What an easy way to earn a living.'
Apparently I'm not a pro cyclist.
At the end of the day, I'm riding a little kid's bike around a track; that's what I've done for as long as I can remember. Now it's just on a bigger stage at the Olympics.
The Tour de France would make a great movie. Drugs, corruption, political chicanery, guys risking their lives - everything you need for a great sports drama.
I've been cycling ever since I was a kid. I remember taking my cycling proficiency test aged seven - I got to school at 7:30 A.M. to practise, I was so nervous. After that, I always cycled to school.
Seattle is very similar to Minneapolis. I like the culture; I like the people. I raced a bike and won a national championship on Lake Washington in 1977, so I've had a connection there for a long time.
From the time I was six years old, I wanted to be a BMX Racer and be the best.
I had beautiful bikes and I was really into it. I just thought it was really glamorous.
The idea for the 'Speed' series was to break the record for the fastest push bike.
I was addicted to going fast, finding the big hills on the pushbike. It was just something I enjoyed a lot - things with wheels.
I am a bike enthusiast; there's a certain amount of romance to bikes. They're both beautiful and utilitarian.
To be a part of TT history is a massive achievement. It is one of, if not the greatest races on two wheels, if not on four.
I don't really go mountain biking per se, like a proper sport.
There's a lot of bunch finishes, which are hectic and kind of dangerous; you need a lot of luck to win those.
The bicycle riders drank much wine, and were burned and browned by the sun. They did not take the race seriously except among themselves.
Every day since the start of the Tour de France, the popular 'Le Parisien' newspaper has published a story about a book written with the bicycle in mind.
I realised my whole focus each year is about the Tour de France.
For any young rider even competing in the San Remo is one of the biggest things - but to win it is beyond emotion. You can't put it into words.
I mean, for me, the reason I ride my bike and race is because I love doing it, not because I'm seeking recognition for it.
When I see pot-bellied cyclists wearing the 'maillot jaune,' it appals me.
