A minute with: Andreas Miltiadis, professional cyclist

Where do you live and with whom?I live in Cyprus. I grew up in Palaichori, surrounded by nature and mountains, and I spend a lot of time travelling internationally for training and racing. What did you have for breakfast?Normally, I’ll have some oatmeal or bread with traditional halloumi. Simple, traditional and good fuel for training. Describe your perfect dayMy perfect day would start with a good breakfast and training session, preferably outdoors and somewhere in the mountains. Then a relaxed snack, some time with my favourite people, good food and plenty of time outside. For me, the combination of sport, nature and good company makes a great day. Best book ever read?Endure by Alex Hutchinson. I really enjoyed it because it explores the limits of human endurance and how far we can push ourselves physically and mentally. As an endurance athlete, I find that extremely interesting. Best childhood memory?Spending so much time outdoors. Being surrounded by mountains and nature from a young age played a big role in developing my love for outdoor activities and eventually cycling and trail running. What is always in your fridge?Fresh fruit and vegetables, and definitely traditional food like halloumi. What music are you listening to in the car at the moment?Mostly Greek music. I enjoy it, and I also play the bouzouki, so listening to Greek music really touches my heart. What’s your spirit animal?The eagle. It represents freedom, independence, vision and the ability to keep going through challenging environments. I also simply love eagles and what they represent. What are you most proud of?I’m most proud of building my cycling career from zero through hard work and representing Cyprus at an international level. Winning national titles and achieving results internationally are important to me, but I’m especially proud of continuing to push myself and compete against some of the best riders in the world. What movie scene has really stayed with you?I’m not really a big movie person, so I don’t have one particular movie scene that has stayed with me. I would rather be outside than watching a movie. If you could pick anyone at all, alive or dead, to go out for the evening with, who would it be?Notis Sfakianakis. I would really like to meet him, have a conversation and spend an evening listening to his stories and music. If you could time travel, when/where would you go?I don’t think I would. I’m more interested in living in the present and enjoying it as much as possible. There’s always something ahead to experience, so I’d rather focus on that. What is your greatest fear?I think everyone has fears, but I can’t really name one specific fear. I try not to focus too much on fear and instead concentrate on what I can control. What would you say to your 18-year-old self?Keep working, be patient and believe in yourself. Don’t be afraid to take a different path, and remember to enjoy the journey because it goes much faster than you think. Name the one thing that would stop you dating someone.There isn’t one specific thing. For me, it would come down to the overall situation and how two people treat each other. Respect, honesty and having a good connection are important. What would you do if the world was going to end in 24 hours?I’d take my bike and go for a mountain bike ride with my favourite people. I’d want to spend the last day outdoors, doing something I love and being with the people who matter most to me. Andreas is a professional cyclist competing internationally in Road, Time Trial and MTB Marathon/XCM. He will be back racing next season from January races in Europe and Asia. Follow him on Instagram @andreas_miltiadis