Nicole Cooke's retirement

[thom]

What a rider she was ?!
I loved her getting results back in the day when GB cycling was on the start of it's up.
Whatever the machinations and politics of being number 1 versus Lizzie Armitstead, she has set a fantastic marker for GB women road cyclists - a truely fantastic palmares.
I can't help feeling pretty sad that a 29 year old of this calibre is leaving the women's peloton.

 

[smokeysmoo]

""When Lance cries on Oprah later this week and she passes him the tissue, spare a thought for all those genuine people who walked away with no rewards - just shattered dreams. Each one of them is worth a thousand Lances".

Quality

 

[tigger]

Great rider. I'm still surprised that she is retiring at just 29.

 

[black'n'yellow]

I can't help feeling pretty sad that a 29 year old of this calibre is leaving the women's peloton.

Agreed - especially when you consider that Jeannie Longo was still winning races at 53. At 29 Nicole could potentially improve for another 10 years.

Hopefully she will take a couple of years out and then make a comeback...

 

[Noodley]

Good luck to her in whatever she does.

And just in case anyone thinks otherwise, Longo is a doper.

 

[black'n'yellow]

And just in case anyone thinks otherwise, Longo is a doper.

Allegedly. Evidence and proof are not the same thing. Unless you know different - in which case you had better tell the FFC...

 

[BJH]

I absolutely loved reading that link to her comments. Terrible shame that she is opting to retire but good on her for what she said, I do like people who come right off the fence loud and clear !

 

[thom]

Here's her statement on her website.
Wow - at 16 she won the Senior British Road Race Championship !
Well worth the read.

 

[StuAff]

Allegedly. Evidence and proof are not the same thing. Unless you know different - in which case you had better tell the FFC...

Well, her husband was arrested & charged with importing EPO....she missed three tests....
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/11135/With-career-under-a-shadow-Longo-set-to-retire.aspx

 

[black'n'yellow]

Well, her husband was arrested & charged with importing EPO....she missed three tests....
http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/11135/With-career-under-a-shadow-Longo-set-to-retire.aspx

I know. That's evidence. But it ain't proof.

 

[tigger]

It's good evidence though innit?

 

[black'n'yellow]

It's good evidence though innit?

Not good enough though, obviously.

 

[shouldbeinbed]

Not good enough though, obviously.

Give it a couple of years and Oprah will be calling her.

I'd like to see Cooke ride on but by the sound of her latest DS, she's not meeting their expectations, whether that is mental or physical is anyones guess, but her statement is pretty raw and doesn't sound like someone wanting to be in that world anymore.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

It's good evidence though innit?

Good enough for me! As supporting evidence, there's her defence of Armstrong (''leave us our dreams, leave us our greats'') and her counter-accusation that the French Federation had done all it could to make her lose the French championships and Olympic games by stopping her drug-dealing, husband-trainer from accompanying her at races. http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Longo-regrette-l-acharnement/322038.

 

[thom]

Good enough for me! As supporting evidence, there's her defence of Armstrong (''leave us our dreams, leave us our greats'') and her counter-accusation that the French Federation had done all it could to make her lose the French championships and Olympic games by stopping her drug-dealing, husband-trainer from accompanying her at races. http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme-sur-route/Actualites/Longo-regrette-l-acharnement/322038.

Are you sure people are using drugs in cycling ? I thought it was normal in the cycling world for the over 50's to win the top competitions.