Nicole Cooke's retirement

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tigger

tigger

Über Member
That's naive of Amitstead and also a throwback to the tensions between her and Cooke I think. Lacks a bit of maturity perhaps too?

But perhaps, perhaps, things really have changed since Cooke started and Armitstead hasn't experienced these problems first hand. Perhaps as a young rider in the present she has a right to be defensive of past problems which may be genuinely anathema to her?
 
laurence

laurence

Veteran
Location
in the aeroplane over the sea
tigger said:
That's naive of Amitstead and also a throwback to the tensions between her and Cooke I think. Lacks a bit of maturity perhaps too?

But perhaps, perhaps, things really have changed since Cooke started and Armitstead hasn't experienced these problems first hand. Perhaps as a young rider in the present she has a right to be defensive of past problems which may be genuinely anathema to her?
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let's not forget that the press want a story... and all of them want the same one and ask the same questions... so a rider will have to answer that same question over and over... they want to talk about themselves and share their glory, not recycle the Armstrong myth time and time again. Cavendish gets grumpy with journos at the OPQS launch, Brad gets stroppy when constantly questioned on if he is clean. then the press go to town and sensationalise it.

rather than looking for a new story the press are flogging this one. it's tired journalism really.

TBH, Cooke stirred things up, as she always has done. she threw the live grenade in the room and walked away.

as much as i admired Cooke for her riding i also thought she was her own worse enemy. Given her or Judith Arndt to cheer, i'd go for Arndt, Nicole always rode for herself, even when she wasn't in a position to win. i found that attitude to be a bit offputting and could never warm to her.

Lizzie is entitled to her opinion. i didn't see anything terrible in the quotes, just a weariness of having to defend someone else. It's easy for Cooke to say those things as she's leaving.
 
R

resal

Veteran
Laurence I have no idea how many times you have seen Cooke on the continent or with her teams, but I have spoken to her team mates and your assertion is totally unfounded. Particularly I remember Diana Zilute praising Cooke's unstinting efforts on her behalf and praising Nicole for setting her up for the win. At Raleigh I remember her setting up Priska Doppman on a couple of occasions. I did not speak to any of the riders that day but the lead out was obvious.

I recall that there has only ever been a single individual who has complained about Cooke riding for herself and talking about the press stirring things up, shoddy journalism by Cycling Weekly were blamed by the young lady concerned, for taking some off hand comments and blowing them up into a major story. Lizzi herself backtracked from those statements fairly rapidly but then found herself in a hole and then went forward again. It all looked very unseemly. I would have thought she might have learned from that experience that nothing is "off the record".
 
O

oldroadman

Veteran
Location
Ubique
Flying_Monkey said:
+2 - disappointing to hear this from Amistead. Just goes to show the difference between two fine cyclists, one of whom is prepared to speak out regardless of the consequences and one who would prefer to keep her head down and keep omerta. That former attitude on Cooke's part is perhaps what lost her a lot of friends in the sport and meant that she was never seen as a 'team-player' so she never really got the support of a dedicated team that her talent deserved. But it makes me admire her much more as a person.
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Considering what was said in the retirement statement, first pro team and "medecine" in the house, why not speak out then - hardly fair to accuse Lizzie of "keeping the omerta" when Nicole says nothing until there is nothing to lose.
Things have changed and still are, cycling is a strange sport which is prepared to admit the past, clean up, and do it all in public. Hardly surprising that gets a few comments. Shame one or two other sports don't get the Kimmage treatment, he has interviewed plenty of top performers from other sports, and never a question about PEDs, which makes me wonder whether there still is a residual grudge with cycling.
I can't see Nicole getting along in the political scene, where a steady evolution seems to be the way things get done. Bull at a gate tactics usually get exactly what they might expect, closed doors, lack of credibility, and lost opportunities. As has been quoted before "politics is the art of the possible". Idealism is well and good, but reality is that sustainable progress is a steady process.
 
R

resal

Veteran
Lizzi on twitter - Last updated Wed 16 Jan 2013

Probably shouldn't give the bullies the time of day but my opinion in my own words: what LA has done to the sport of cycling is unforgivable
From @L_ArmiTstead on Twitter: (about 2 hours ago)
Olympic medallist Lizzie Armitstead has slammed disgraced Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong on Twitter. She took to the social media site to brand his actions 'unforgivable'. Armstong was stripped of his seven Tour De France titles last year after being plagued by allegations of doping.
The Otley olympian anticipated negativity from supporters of Armstrong on the notoriously rowdy website and added: "I am happy the truth has come out for the good of cycling. I am not naive, cycling is not 100% clean but which sport is?
I am a part of a new generation of cyclists who compete honestly and quite rightly feel upset and disappointed that it is suddenly an expectation of me to be a politician. Cycling is a beautiful sport which I love... and believe in everyone's right to an opinion"

Well there was me saying that Lizzi went one way, reversed and then went slow ahead forward again on her last little episode and now we have this ! Comedy gold ! Doesn't need more comment. Says it all by itself.

Oldroadman - Where did you get that one from ? At the end of the first season she has no wages because she did not take drugs and takes the team to court? A person who is easily capable of forcing change is in a tight spot and keeps quiet about the drugs! I can only find on record that a single BC rider had a bust up with BC management about Dave Millar being allowed to ride for GB. One voice against, the rest who are all yes monkeys. Your scenario is not likely. My take on that was that there was a lot more left unsaid than said in that statement. And as to not getting things done, it looks like she got quite a bit done and was very complimentary to BC about getting them to move on things she wanted moving.

Talking of politicians. has Cookson made any response about how he can justify a minimum wage for blokes and not for women ? I have only seen that one pretty poor statement. (I see WADA and USADA have not endorsed his whitewash of Pat and Hein.)

And off topic a bit more - what did Millar do in Salzburg on his return? His behaviour on the final bend should have had him banned from ever riding in a GB rest again.
 
U

ufkacbln

Guest
rich p said:
She was a class act, a trendsetter and ploughed a lonely and unfashionable furrow for years without the massive BC support that some of them get nowadays.
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OMG -We agree!

From a historical point, one must wonder how much better she could have been with the same level of support and training as the present riders in "Team GB" have been given.



Shame the thread is again being diverted by the Armstrong obsession and unproven allegations again.
 
OP
OP
thom

thom

____
Location
The Borough
Flying_Monkey said:
"You're not singing, you're not singing, you're not singing anymore..." Seriously, give it up. It's over.
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Unfortunately nothing deters the wannabe gadflies of this forum.
 
U

ufkacbln

Guest
Whereas what?

You have been challenged to prove your misinterpretation previously and predictably ran and hid behind the cover of an ignore list...... and failed to prove your lies.
 
tigger

tigger

Über Member
Cunobelin said:
I look forward to substantiated proof as opposed to speculation that Longo is doping.
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So come on, stick your cock on the block. Do you think she doped? It's a yes or no answer (like the beginning of the Lance interview)
 
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