Armstrong has proved that he has been the greatest rider in the Tour, but that was the only race he really competed in to win.

Sooner or later a rider will emerge who will win more Tours. In every sport we have seen how the records eventually get broken and cycling is no exception.

I didn't feel I had to prove anything more.

I inherited that calm from my father, who was a farmer. You sow, you wait for good or bad weather, you harvest, but working is something you always need to do.

I did try to win a sixth, but it was not to be.

If by magic I were going to ride the Tour in 2003, what would interest me most would be the prologue. It's the most emotive moment, where the tension accumulated during a year of work is released like a gunshot.

According to me, Merckx remains the greatest cyclist of all. He dared to strain his body to the extremes.

My strength was that I am more balanced and calmer than most other riders.

If I had been born with an aggressive character, then maybe my palmares would have been longer.