My mom was such a strong character. I don't want to say she was like a man, but she was tough.

You can teach someone how to control their strength, but you can't teach them to be strong.

It was great to fight in training, great to fight in the race, but you don't need to fight in a press conference, or an interview, or a personal interaction.

How many times do I have to say it? … Well, it can't be any clearer than 'I've never taken drugs.'

I've read that I flew up the hills and mountains of France. But you don't fly up a hill. You struggle slowly and painfully up a hill, and maybe, if you work very hard, you get to the top ahead of everybody else.

Truth is, a triathlete won the Tour de France seven times.

Athletes don't have much use for poking around in their childhoods, because, introspection doesn't get you anywhere in a race.