Vandenbroucke says "Cycling is my life"

"Cycling is my life," Frank Vandenbroucke has told the Belgian TV program Zomer 2007 an Een. "I need the competition, in whatever form."

The Belgian, who earlier this summer tried to commit suicide, said that he feels better now. "I feel very fresh now. Maybe I forced my body a little too much in my younger years." And he is not ready to give up: "I want to keep on riding until I am 40," he said. "Then I will have been a pro 22 years."

VDB is currently making the rounds of the Belgian criteriums, with two on tap this week. "People identify themselves with me, because I get more applause now than I did in earlier days."

"I still want to accomplish something this year, maybe in the Giro di Lombardia," he concluded. "We'll have to see where I will be next year."