- So Rory, how has the pre-season been going lately?
Pre season has been good. We had a mini camp in Asheville, NC in November to meet some of the new guys, try out some new gear, and get into the wind tunnel. Nice, low stress riding with the boys. Now I’m in Australia, firstly to see my family over Christmas, and then to get in a little bit of crit racing and the National Championships.

- What was your first bike?
This question always comes up somehow! I really have no idea…

- How old were you when you first realized that you were competitive at the amateur, and then the pro ranks?
It’s a slow stepping stone. I spent 4 years in the Rabobank TT3 team getting myself ready, and it wasn’t until the last year of it that i starting standing out a little more to the point of being able to step to the Pro Tour.

- Could you give us a brief history of your cycling resume?
Been at it for a while now. National Time Trail Champion as a Junior got me to the world, then 4th at the junior worlds got me into Rabobank Development team. After that it was 3 hard years of learning before picking up the Australian U23 Road title in 04, and another 6 wins in Europe that year. A year with the Rabo Pro Tour team racing the classics and the Giro before crossing the pond to the US and Healthnet/Maxxis. In 07 I won the NRC and a few races along the way, and in 08, I won the NRC again, along with 3 tours, podiums in Georgia/California.

- What are your opinions of the current state of cycling? Domestic? International?
Its fine… There are always financial issues with teams in all countries. At the moment its a little more difficult than some other times, but nothing that we haven’t seen before.

- What are your plans for 2009?
We will have to wait and see I’m taking a little different approach, and seeing what happens with that.

- Do you think you can 3peat the NRC?
We have never gone for the over all win, in our team we just try to win races and be competitive. If another NRC title comes out of it then great, if not, such is life.

- What do you do in the off-season?
Try to relax, don’t ride my bike, and try not to have anything to do with cycling at all.

- Who is your cycling hero? And why?
I don’t really have heros, I have riders I respect, but not heros. I don’t think we have heros in the cycling world.

- What is your favorite quote?
If your not hurting then your not going hard enough.

- Who has influenced you the most in your cycling career?
Probably ex coaches, they really hold the key to the success of their riders and don’t take enough credit for it.

- How do you get yourself pumped up for races?
I’m pretty relaxed actually. I don’t like getting too worked up, I’d rather start relaxed and with a clear mind.

- What are your goals for 2009?
To continue to be competitive. We have a different kind of team going into 09, and getting all the boys working well together is goal number 1. After that if we can continue to help the younger guys develop and win races, then we’ve succeeded.

- Will we ever see you go back over the pond to race the UCI Pro Tour in Europe?
I’m not sure. It always depends on the conditions. I do miss it sometimes, but at the end of the day I have a great life in the US, great friends, and really good people around me.

- What is your favorite race now?
I love the fans at the Tour of California, but its maybe not my favorite. Mt Hood, or the races in Oregon are pretty special to me.