I was, without exaggeration, a delinquent teenager.

I've learned what it truly means to be Canadian and in turn I've been inspired to make a difference in the world, however small it's been.

With athletes, it's never fully understood the level to which we push ourselves. Especially in an endurance sport.

Sport that consumed me for over two decades . . . is now gone. Now it's just me. No pressure, no expectations, no need to be fast, good, strong or to even improve. Yet I can't let go of this idea that I always need to be more than I am. And it is eating me alive.

I still can't believe I won the Olympics. That's what I feel right now - completely alive as a human being. It's a really beautiful moment.

I am kind of like a diesel. It is the cyclist in me.

Ive had so many experiences in cycling, but in some ways I have nothing left to prove. I have achieved more than I could have dreamed of, Ive raced a lot longer than I thought I would. I know I can still be better, but I just dont know if I love it enough any more.