Exclusive Interview: Chris Horner on his career, Armstrong and pro cycling

It's early evening in Javea, Spain and by the side of the Radioshack team bus, Chris Horner nestles into a handful of chocolate biscuits and two cans of Coca Cola. While his teammates are in their rooms surfing the internet and lounging around, "Redneck" -as he's affectionately known, is chatting with the team's mechanics. Wrapped in the comfort of the team's December training camp, the veteran American in his element. He loves bike racing, he lives for cycling and at the age of 41 he shows no sign of slowing down.

Daniel Benson

Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.

Latest in Interview
Anne Hed holding a tri-spoke carbon wheel
‘The wheels are my job, but nothing makes me feel better than investing in people’ - in conversation with Anne Hed
Lael Wilcox is sitting on her bike, wearing a white jumper, white helmet and black shorts, and is smiling at the camera
‘I love racing, but if I do only that, then it starts feeling hollow’: In conversation with Lael Wilcox
Vincenzo Nibali and Matej Mohoric of Bahrain-Merida on a training ride
Seeing cycling through different eyes: Mohoric takes aim at cobbled Classics
Tejay van Garderen in Basalt, Colorado.
Tejay van Garderen unplugged
The Specialized Foundation's Riding For Focus program
Specialized founder Mike Sinyard on the power of the bicycle
Ashton Lambie at the UCI Track World Cup in Milton
Ashton Lambie – The Pursuit
Latest in Feature
Mathieu van der Poel celebrates his E3 Saxo Classic victory in 2024 with a standing on pedals salute
E3 Saxo Classic start list
Best power meters group image
I test bikes for a living and I never use a power meter: Here’s why you shouldn’t either
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 21 Elisa Balsamo of Italy and Team Lidl Trek celebrates at finish line as race winner ahead of LR Chiara Consonni of Italy and UAE Team ADQ Daria Pikulik of Poland and Team Human Powered Health and Charlotte Kool of The Netherlands and Team dsmfirmenich PostNL during the 7th Womens Classic BruggeDe Panne 2024 a 155km one day race from Brugge to De Panne on March 21 2024 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Classic Brugge-De Panne Women start list
DE PANNE BELGIUM MARCH 20 Jasper Philipsen of Belgium and Team AlpecinDeceuninck celebrates at finish line as race winner ahead of Tim Merlier of Belgium and Team SoudalQuick Step and Jason Tesson of France and Team TotalEnergies during the 48th Classic BruggeDe Panne 2024 Mens Elite a 1989km one day race from Brugge to De Panne UCIWT on March 20 2024 in De Panne Belgium Photo by Luc ClaessenGetty Images
Classic Brugge-De Panne start list
A composite image of Sean Kelly racing (left) and Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel during Milan-San Remo (right)
Sean Kelly’s Classics Column: Milan-San Remo was a Mathieu van der Poel masterclass – but Flanders favourite status is in the balance
SANREMO ITALY MARCH 22 Elisa Longo Borghini of Italy and UAE Team ADQ competes during the 1st Sanremo Women 2025 a 156km one day race from Genova to Sanremo UCIWWT on March 22 2025 in Sanremo Italy Photo by Tim de WaeleGetty Images
Audentes fortuna iuvat - Fortune favours the brave at Milan-San Remo