It's difficult to change things in a positive way.
— Lizzie Armitstead
As far as I'm concerned, as soon as you reach your goal, then that's the box ticked for me. I don't feel the need to repeat titles or repeat victories; as soon as I get the one, then I'm happy.
Crossing the line and being world champion, I've always dreamt about it, and now I've done it. It's quite a surreal feeling, but obviously very special.
I never gave up, and for that, I can be proud of myself.
Outside the Olympics, there are massive discrepancies within all sports. But the positive side for me is that the Olympics are the biggest platform there is, and there's total equality across all sports.
There is no pathway for female GB road cyclists, but at the same time, if you are wanting to be the best in the world, you have to forge your own pathway. It's not that things should be there on a plate for you. You have to work really hard, and that's what I've done, and I didn't let it stop me.
You can't expect a woman who's holding down a part-time job to train for the biggest race in the world. She has to have a minimum wage, and I think it's something that is pretty crazy that we don't have that.
My focus has to be on my career.
I have a strong, inspiring, and professional group of women around me with Boels-Dolmans. We race and train incredibly hard as a team.
I'm a very goal-oriented person, so I look at the specific demands of a certain race and tailor my training towards that.
As long as my weight is healthy, then I eat what I want.
When I have a family, I will be retired.
I love being world champion.
I don't look at my emails on the weekend or after 6 o'clock in the day.
I mean, for me, the reason I ride my bike and race is because I love doing it, not because I'm seeking recognition for it.
I'm quite un-traditional.
The problem, as a female athlete, is that you don't want to come across as negative and moaning.
There's been a lot of champions before me, and I'm sure there will be ahead of me.
The only thing that I can do - and the only thing that I've always done - is to ride my bike fast and get my head down and control the things I can control.
I can't feel sorry for myself.
It's something that can get overwhelming and frustrating, the sexism I experience in my career. It's just obviously a big issue in women's sport, like salaries, media coverage, just general things that you have to cope with in your career.
It's not always about gold medals, I think. It has to be about development, and we are missing that in U.K. at the moment.
When you are on a climb, you always pick out people's words of encouragement, and it can push us on, without doubt.
I had to find my own path, and in some ways, it's been a good thing.
I eat a lot more now than I ever used to. I have taken a real interest in nutrition and believe in the difference that makes when fueling your body correctly. That means never skipping a meal and making sure that my diet supports my training needs.
It's very special that the Olympics is in London. As a first Olympic experience, it's going to be pretty incredible.
I don't particularly buy into all the nutrition fads and that sort of thing.
When I have children, it will be my choice, and I won't feel under any pressure.
I remember if the telephone rang after 9 o'clock in the house, my mother would say, 'Who's ringing at this time?' We just wouldn't answer the phone.
I remember taking my stabilisers off my bike with my dad in the back garden. It was a small little bike, and it was called Poppy, had balloons on it, and was purple.
There are a lot of people I look up to and respect, but there's nobody really specific I would call a hero.
I find weddings too procedural sometimes. I just want a big, fun party.
There are lots of things that could be done. We could get more help from the UCI, like forcing Pro-Tour teams to have a women's equivalent.
You've got all that 130 km. of being totally focused, and as soon as you cross the line, it takes a few seconds to realise what's happened.
I can't pick up the phone to everybody that doubts me and explain myself.
I never expected to compete at home in a UCI women's race - let alone as world champion.
As I get older, it's getting more frustrating because I'm starting to think about what I'm going to do after cycling, and I may be pushed to study alongside riding in order to prepare for retirement - all those things the professional blokes don't really have to think about.
At the end of the day, cycling is a business, so we have to be able to offer something to a sponsor, and without exposure, that's going to be difficult, but that's where the UCI perhaps has to be a little bit stronger.
I'm quite a strong person, and I've become even stronger.
Most women's races don't pay much at all.
I used to think that in order to be lean, I had to under-eat.
I have to make sure I get the right amount of protein and iron, and I take supplements for that. I think people would be surprised if they saw my diet, though; it's very normal.
I won't try and combine training and a family.
Any woman in any career has to think about when they have children, if they want to have children, and how it's going to affect their career.
I'm old-fashioned.
The UCI have to make the decision to put in rules into women's cycling that they have in men's cycling: you know, like a minimum budget to run a women's team and that sort of thing so that it becomes more professional.
I feel really lucky. There wasn't a doubt in my mind when Phil asked me to marry him.
