The truth is, if you asked me to choose between winning the Tour de France and cancer, I would choose cancer. Odd as it sounds, I would rather have the title of cancer survivor than winner of the Tour, because of what it has done for me as a human being, a man, a husband, a son, and a father.

It's tough to be a 15- or 16-year-old athlete competing around the country. There's tension, there's media. I had no idea what I was getting into.

At least I didn't invent a dead girlfriend

Giving up was never an option

I don't think anybody else from my generation had federal agents standing at their door with a badge and a gun, saying: 'You are going to answer my questions'.

Two things scare me. The first is getting hurt. But that's not nearly as scary as the second, which is losing.

My actions and reactions, and the way I treated certain scenarios, were way out of line, so I deserved some punishment.