My life, since I was 12-years-old, has revolved around some sort of sport, mainly cycling, so when I'm unable to ride my bike I just don't know what to do with myself.

Cycling is not a sport it's a lifestyle.

Cycling is part of me, it's who I am. When you get injured, your whole identity is taken away from you, you're no longer yourself.

Being injured is quite an awkward situation to be in mentally. Physically, it's quite good to have a bit of a rest, but mentally it's hell.

For me the best part about the racing is to let all your aggression - whatever you've got inside you - out on the bike and just attack everything at all possible times.

Try everything

Queen Victoria - a mixture of national landlady and actress.

Praise those of your critics for whom nothing is up to standard.

Told her she was beautiful. Didn't give up when she didn't believe me.

A banker is somebody who lends you an umbrella & takes it away as soon as it starts raining.

The words and sentences you take into your body from books are no less sacred and healing than communion. Surely at least one such person lives in your zip code.

Our aid is work for the American people.

Whenever I'm home, I haven't got any makeup on. But even in the studio, before I do vocals, I put makeup on.

Don't hate the black, don't hate the white. If you get bit, just hate the bite.

If in my twenties I'd gotten one of the two-dozen roles that I did screen tests for and almost got, I think I would have become bored with the awards circuit, the whole hype machine.