If you go to Wikipedia and you look at the Tour de France, there's this huge block in World War One with no winners, and there's another block in World War Two. And then it seems like there's another world war.

One of the redeeming things about being an athlete is redefining what is humanly possible.

What is stronger, fear or hope?

Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.

The Europeans look down on raising your hands. They don't like the end-zone dance. I think that's unfortunate. That feeling - the finish line, the last couple of meters - is what motivates me.

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

I rode, and I rode, and I rode. I rode like I had never ridden, punishing my body up and down every hill I could find. I rode when no one else would ride.