I gave it everything in the last 20 minutes. I knew that I still had the energy, that I was ahead of the mark. I felt euphoric — it was the last 20 minutes of my sporting career.

Apart from the fact that I can move the bike fast, I am basically Joe Average.

While I'm not very talented at cooking, I am very talented at eating.

If there's something left in me, it's better to go down fighting. You've got to have a bit of self-belief and confidence in yourself. I might know that I have only a little chance but I'm a good rider and I try to make it happen. You have to give luck a swift kick in the behind so it falls on your side. You have to make your own luck.

I get paid to hurt other people, how good is that?

Every time I race, I will race so fiercely my legs cry.

Having things organized is for small-minded people. Genius controls chaos.

Shut up body and do what I tell you

When my legs hurt, I say: “Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do!

I'd like to throw Betsey Andreu and Travis Tygart in a wood-chipper. That would be my idea of a good time. Maybe I could get George to come over and help me clean up after.

At the Tour, you always have some fantastic days and some days where you hit the asphalt. Today was an asphalt day for me.

I lost quite a bit of skin on the left side of my body and sustained some deep cuts in my hand and around my knee, but the doctors were able to stitch it all back together. Luckily I didn't hurt my shoulder but I'm now at the point where the only thing on my body which isn't hurting is my bad shoulder.