I have a strong, inspiring, and professional group of women around me with Boels-Dolmans. We race and train incredibly hard as a team.

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.

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.

As a female athlete, I think it's really important to stand up on a podium and represent females and what we're capable of, and I always try to make political statements with what I do rather than with headlines.

I really want to get involved in football again at some point. I know I'm getting older, but my life has just turned out a different way after I retired from football.

I was an athlete in college, and Wall Street likes athletes because they're very competitive people that are willing to do anything to win. So I got a job at Bear Stearns in the summer of 2007.

Someone asked me what part of the body is the most important to be strong - it's the big toe. The big toe especially, and the inner front-third of your feet, are what give you balance and will make you infinitely better at any sport, any physical activity and, as you get older, will keep you from falling.

I have learned to make a lot of effort and sacrifice for this sport, and now I can say it's paying me back. So it is important to always show determination and effort on the pitch.