Daily Peloton: How is your recovery from the fractured vertebra suffered in November coming along?

Rochelle: The injury was a very scary one! The process of recovery was extremely slow for the first three weeks, I didn't feel any improvement from day to day and started thinking that I might never ride a bike again! In saying that, after the three weeks I started to experience a rapid increase in range of motion and at the four week mark, I was moving completely pain free- Amazing!

Daily Peloton: Do you feel you have lost a step due to the time off the bike?

Rochelle: Mentally yes I feel I have lost some form but physically- maybe not! I had a really good base before the accident. I had started my training early and had a few thousand km's in my legs. I raced the National Road Championships a couple of days ago and felt fantastic.

DP: That was the second injury in the past two years, along with an illness that had kept you off the bike for a period. Do you find yourself frustrated by these events? Would you consider it a motivating force?

Rochelle: I definitely have felt frustrated at times but I always see the positive in every situation! I have endured many forced breaks/time off the bike and it has kept me motivated and hungry for success... I just keep believing!

DP: You are quite accomplished in both road and track cycling. Where does your true passion lie? If you had to choose a career in only one which would it be, and why?

Hard question! I find the track cycling most exciting but it's impossible to survive financially without racing on the road. Road Cycling is a professional sport and in recent years I have started building a life/base for myself in Europe- Italy. I'm a member of the longest standing Professional Women's cycling team 'SAFI Pasta Zara Manhattan' and they have become like a second family to me! I love the life and the racing on the road, It just bugs me that you have to ride for a few hours before you get to do the sprint!

DP: At 24, you are coming into the part of your career where physical ability, experience, and maturity can make you most successful; the part of your career of which you can be defined. What mark, what legacy, do you aspire to leave on the sport of cycling?

Nothing less than an Olympic Champion. Let's hope that happens before I reach my mid 30's! I'll be 26 years in 2008 and 30 years in 2012... Maybe a family after that!

DP: You express on the diary portion of your website your feeling of representing your country when you ride. Do you wish to compete and medal representing Australia in the next Olympic Games?

YES!

DP: It appears that women’s pro cycling does not receive the media attention that the men receive. As a woman who started in the sport by beating the boys, do you feel that it’s unfair?

It's a touchy subject. I will admit that Men's cycling is awesome to watch! I aspire to create a TV series in Australia which will deliver Women's Professional Cycling to the public. Female Cyclist live an extraordinary life, especially the Women from Australia who move to Europe for six months of the year with nearly no understanding of the European languages and way of life. Could make interesting TV hey?

DP: If so, what is the media missing out on?

So much! More interesting than the racing, is our way of life.

DP: Given your talent, you are in a position to potentially change the attention received by women’s pro cycling. Do you feel any pressure to do so? Or, perhaps do you like the prospect that such a position provides you?

I do what I can, I only experience the pressure I place on myself. It's hard to promote myself and at the same time be 100% focused on training and competition. Its impossible to act on all my ideas and prepare 100% for an event. I can't help the sport as much as I would like to while I am trying to achieve my goals on the bike.

DP: On a similar note, you are one of a number of professional female athletes who have also ventured into modeling. Do you find modeling an opportunity to expand your fan base, and the fan base of women’s professional cycling in general?

Of course. Sometimes I don't like the way people respond to my modeling career, I can be judged negatively by it. I guess I'll just have to take the good with the bad. I have made more money acting and modeling in 6 weeks than I could make in my first year as a professional Cyclist... even though I did not enjoy some of the work, it was much easier money than cycling!

DP: If being a professional cyclist was never an option to you, what alternate career could you have seen yourself in?

So many different careers interest me. I like water sports from Iron Women and Surf Lifesaving to social surfing and waterskiing. Other than sport I would enjoy a career in TV announcing or even acting. Maybe I will be a business women...... who knows!

DP: You have an opportunity to express yourself openly to your fans, what do you want them to know the most about yourself?

I'm different, people can assume that they know me from what they see but- I mostly keep to myself. One thing they can assume is that I am very determined in all aspects of life.

DP: Do you feel you will be the greatest woman cyclist of all time?

I believe I can win Olympic Gold on the Road and Track at the same Games.... but no, I do not believe I will ever deserve the status of Van Morsel and Rossner. At this point of my career as a cyclist there are many areas in which I need to develop.

DP: Do you look forward to the competition in LA? Any special feelings about this event? Have you competed here in the past?

This will be my first competition in LA, I am looking forward to it but I must admit that my preparation could have been better. I have completed only two track sessions since the accident- perhaps that could be a good thing? I am very excited about racing, I will give the race everything I have and see if that's enough to get me on top of the podium! See you soon!

The Daily Peloton welcomes Rochelle to the UCI World Cup Classic next week-end and wishes her tremendous success on the track. You can follow Rochelle's career at www.RochelleGilmore.com

All photos provided by Rochelle Gilmore and are used with her permission.

Career Highlights:

3 x World Cup Gold Medalist

Oceania Games Champion

2 x Silver Medalist World Track Cycling Championships

Commonwealth Games Silver Medalist

2 x Stage Winner- Giro d'Italia Femminile

16 x Australian Champion

Junior World Championship Silver Medalist

A special thank you to Scott Mooney for his invaluable assistance on this interview.