Nicole Cooke's New Team

[Skip Madness]

So does this mean that Swift Racing is dead now?

Essentially. This team retains some of the old infrastructure (well, Stefan Wyman) and can be seen as Swift's successor, but it is a total refit.

 

[Skip Madness]

Over at the Tour de l'Aude website it appears that Vision 1 are already signed up for this year's event. This is notable because last year Cooke rode as part of a composite Great Britain team which included Emma Pooley and Leda Cox among others. Vision 1 is down for this year by itself - I wonder if there will still be a separate GB team? There is no sign of it yet.

Anyway, the bad news is that I have taken a glance at the parcours and it looks absolutely shite. I cannot believe there are people who rate the Tour de l'Aude above the Grande Boucle, even with the Boucle being as short as it is these days. Whatever happened to mountain-top finishes in this race - at Pic de Nore, or Mijanes or the Fanjeaux or Font Romeu?

 

[Skip Madness]

Vision 1 were featured on the BBC News today, so that was what all of the camera crews were for - a bit less than I hoped, but hey at least it is national. You can see the report here.

 

[Skip Madness]

Nicole Cooke took her first win of the season today at the star-studded Emakumeen Bira. She also came second yesterday to Judith Arndt and now leads the GC.

It seems that Vision 1 will not be at either the Boucle or the Giro, instead opting for Trentino and Thüringen which is a bit of a surprise. Cooke has said this season that the main objective is the World Championships in Mendrisio, but it's a surprise to see such a light summer schedule.

Edit: In case anyone missed the news, Stefan Wyman has apparently left the team for reasons that are not 100% clear.

 

[Keith Oates]

Like you I've been a little puzzled at the race schedule Nicole seems to be following, I just hope she's OK and not carrying some injury or other problem!!

 

[resal1]

Have Vision 1 picked up a sponsor yet ? If not, is it lack of finance that is preventing them attending the races ?

It was nice to see the BC WCPP taking a team of U23 riders to the Women's Felche. I wonder what the relative accommodation and support systems were. BC must have contacts other than SKY trying to get an "in" with cycling. Should Sky be involved with a Women's team ?

 

[Skip Madness]

Have Vision 1 picked up a sponsor yet ? If not, is it lack of finance that is preventing them attending the races ?

They have various partners, although I don't know how well-off the team is. I'd be surprised if this is the reason for their non-attendances, though, since the line up for the Boucle features three very small teams (4 Life/Freebike, Charlottenburg Berlin and Royal Antwerp). The Giro has a higher standard of participation but if Vision 1 can manage six days in Germany then you'd think ten in Italy wouldn't be too much of a stretch. But if financial reasons aren't it, sporting reasons don't exactly add up either.

BC must have contacts other than SKY trying to get an "in" with cycling. Should Sky be involved with a Women's team ?

I wasn't entirely keen on the idea of a men's Sky team, although I think that's mostly down to hating Murdoch. There's no doubt some big bucks could help things out, but there's not exactly an abundance of interest out there. Here we return to our circular arguments about lack of publicity and coverage...

You know, in a patronising kind of way I actually like the thriftier approach to women's cycling even though I want to see it change. There is an undeniable romanticism to the stories of riders who are working during the morning or studying at university and only cycling in their spare time, for the love of it; it's no replacement for an improved women's cycling infrastructure, but when pure professionalism has ripped the heart out of so much sport I am wary of seeing our women go the same way. Of course, when you think about the income differences between the top riders and the bottom ones it isn't really a tolerable situation, and to ensure talented and passionate riders aren't squeezed out there has to be financial development of the sport, but we should bear in mind the potential costs as well.

 

[Skip Madness]

By the way, Cooke won another stage today, although Judith Arndt leads the GC thanks to a good time trial victory in the morning. Those two are sharing the race between themselves at the moment.

 

[resal1]

I agree. It is hard to think of a sport that has not been distorted to a new less attractive shape by the arrival of big bucks. In so many ways the story of the women's tour is probably more fascinating than the men's. It would be great to find out more about what motivates the reiders. It is not the "I earn loads of dosh, far more than I could get in a normal day job" type motive. Pooley continuing to work for her PhD. Cooke getting her Maths GCSE at 12. These are not your characature "dumb" athletes.

Staying on money though, weren't Vision 1 meant to have gone to Philadelphia ? It would be sad to think that with lots of ££££'s sloshing around the GB men's scene the GB women were starved of cash ?

Great to see Cooke get back to wining ways.

 

[Skip Madness]

Staying on money though, weren't Vision 1 meant to have gone to Philadelphia ?

For the Liberty Classic? I don't know - I hadn't heard about it. It doesn't sound good if that was the case.