‘Cycling is a sport where the best guy doesn’t always win’

Q: Cycling is a sport where you ride at breakneck speed on a one-inch wide piece of rubber, shoulder to shoulder with 200 guys. Do you get scared?

A: I don’t get nervous before races but sometimes during them. Before the race you think of a strategy to win, make the break, to defend a jersey or some sort of a focus. It gets scary during the race when you’re jostling for position (literally) when everyone else wants to do what you are trying to do. You always want to be at the front but not ON the front, because it means you spend more energy if you are. So 200 guys wanting to be in or around the top 20 can be stressful.

Q: From when the race starts to when it finishes, what do you think about?