Nicole Cooke retires - and let's rip
Richmond Racer
Posts: 8,561
http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/lat ... cling.html
"However, Cooke's used the announcement to express regret that she competed in an era tainted by doping scandals. "I am so very fortunate to have been able to have won clean... I have been robbed by drug cheats, but I am fortunate, I am here before you with more in my basket that the 12 year old dreamed of. But for many genuine people out there who do ride clean, people with morals, many of these people have had to leave the sport with nothing after a lifetime of hard work."
"When Lance cries on Oprah later this week and she passes him a tissue, spare a thought for all of those genuine people who walked away with no reward.
"Tyler Hamilton will make more money from a book describing how he cheated than I will make in all my years of honest labour."
There's more in her statement than is quoted in the Cycling Weekly piece, particularly re the lamentable state of womens cycling, and huge well-deserved broadsides and the UCI. I'll post the first article that posts her full statement because there's additional, hard-hitting and pithy stuff there
"However, Cooke's used the announcement to express regret that she competed in an era tainted by doping scandals. "I am so very fortunate to have been able to have won clean... I have been robbed by drug cheats, but I am fortunate, I am here before you with more in my basket that the 12 year old dreamed of. But for many genuine people out there who do ride clean, people with morals, many of these people have had to leave the sport with nothing after a lifetime of hard work."
"When Lance cries on Oprah later this week and she passes him a tissue, spare a thought for all of those genuine people who walked away with no reward.
"Tyler Hamilton will make more money from a book describing how he cheated than I will make in all my years of honest labour."
There's more in her statement than is quoted in the Cycling Weekly piece, particularly re the lamentable state of womens cycling, and huge well-deserved broadsides and the UCI. I'll post the first article that posts her full statement because there's additional, hard-hitting and pithy stuff there
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Couple of photos of her statement on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/nickbull21/status/2 ... 8331774976
https://twitter.com/nickbull21/status/2 ... 58839459840 -
Congrats on the career, Nicole, and thanks for rekindling my interest in the sport in the early 2000s.It's only a bit of sport, Mun. Relax and enjoy the racing.0
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Good to hear an old pro stating once and for all the fact that cheats do rob good honest pro's of more than just the winners glory.
Nice one Nicole, hope you enjoy your retirement, and respect for a great career.0 -
Good for her.
Contador is the Greatest0 -
She's never been shy to speak her mind and has always been independent minded. It would have been interesting to have seen whether she would have been more or less successful had she had the backing of BC in its current format and if she had the current quality of riders to back her when she was at her peak. I know she's not to everyone's taste and has upset a few people over the years but ever since she was that 12 year old racing against the boys on a street circuit outside Cardiff's City Hall she was always a battler. No doubt she'll be back helping make things tough in the local races around here soon!0
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Her WC win was one of the most exciting races I've ever seen.0
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Shame, I always liked Nicole Cooke.
Her 2002 Commonwealths win is one of my favourite ever races. Also, the fact that she was, at one stage, u19 world road, TT and MTB champ is astounding."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Shame. It feels too soon to retire, she's been around along time but still only 29 (?).
Her Worlds and Olympic wins in 2008 were fantastic races to watch. What a battler.
Wish her well for the future.0 -
That Commonwealth win was superb - it was back before cycling was popular and I was staying in my inlaws caravan, everyone on the site must have wondered what the Welsh idiot was shouting at the telly for!0
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Pross wrote:That Commonwealth win was superb - it was back before cycling was popular and I was staying in my inlaws caravan, everyone on the site must have wondered what the Welsh idiot was shouting at the telly for!
I cited that win in my Glasgow 2014 interview!"In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Pross wrote:That Commonwealth win was superb - it was back before cycling was popular and I was staying in my inlaws caravan, everyone on the site must have wondered what the Welsh idiot was shouting at the telly for!
Ha ha that bit where she leaves the road almost missing the bend and ending up in the stone wall. There was a big NOOOOOO!! in our household. And then still won gold :shock:
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Pross wrote:She's never been shy to speak her mind and has always been independent minded. It would have been interesting to have seen whether she would have been more or less successful had she had the backing of BC in its current format and if she had the current quality of riders to back her when she was at her peak.
Think she was always far to indendent to have worked fully with the current BC setup.0 -
to be fair, independent sometimes and a little selfish on other occasions
*ducks to avoid missiles*
But I totally appreciate the fact that she forged a path for British woman cyclists0 -
Richmond Racer wrote:to be fair, independent sometimes and a little selfish on other occasions
*ducks to avoid missiles*
But I totally appreciate the fact that she forged a path for British woman cyclists
Undoubtably and I know people who had to talk to her before Beijing to explain the concept of team work and being nice to those she needed to help her.0 -
Pross wrote:Richmond Racer wrote:to be fair, independent sometimes and a little selfish on other occasions
*ducks to avoid missiles*
But I totally appreciate the fact that she forged a path for British woman cyclists
Undoubtably and I know people who had to talk to her before Beijing to explain the concept of team work and being nice to those she needed to help her.
I always put that attitude down to actually having to do everything for herself for 10 years."In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"
@gietvangent0 -
Pross wrote:Richmond Racer wrote:to be fair, independent sometimes and a little selfish on other occasions
*ducks to avoid missiles*
But I totally appreciate the fact that she forged a path for British woman cyclists
Undoubtably and I know people who had to talk to her before Beijing to explain the concept of team work and being nice to those she needed to help her.
For all that goes on in this sport we love 'little selfish' in a thoroughly committed champion is OK? :?0 -
afx237vi wrote:Her WC win was one of the most exciting races I've ever seen.
^This
It was a classic display by a woman with a racing brain that could put a lot of pro-men to shame. She knew how to work a breakaway group then go in for the kill. Chapeau to her, I hope she retains some involvement in the sport youngsters, particularly the young girls could learn a lot from her regarding tactics.0 -
All good, but I still don't get why we should rip?
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Yellow Peril wrote:afx237vi wrote:Her WC win was one of the most exciting races I've ever seen.
^This
It was a classic display by a woman with a racing brain that could put a lot of pro-men to shame. She knew how to work a breakaway group then go in for the kill. Chapeau to her, I hope she retains some involvement in the sport youngsters, particularly the young girls could learn a lot from her regarding tactics.
Trouble was other than the Olympics, that was the only time she did that. Watch any other championship race and she would be doing far to much.
Still, shame she's retiring at 29, does seem quite young to be doing so. I did enjoy watching her from the roadside win Amstel in 2003. Couldn't believe that a British rider had won something. And then she backed it up a few days later at Fleche!0 -
Interesting how one little apostrophe can completely change the meaning of a simple phrase. I too was wondering what Nicole Cooke had done to deserve our ire.bompington wrote:All good, but I still don't get why we should rip?
[/pedant]0 -
Me too!briantrumpet wrote:
Interesting how one little apostrophe can completely change the meaning of a simple phrase. I too was wondering what Nicole Cooke had done to deserve our ire.bompington wrote:All good, but I still don't get why we should rip?
[/pedant]Is the gorilla tired yet?0 -
disgruntledgoat wrote:Pross wrote:Richmond Racer wrote:to be fair, independent sometimes and a little selfish on other occasions
*ducks to avoid missiles*
But I totally appreciate the fact that she forged a path for British woman cyclists
Undoubtably and I know people who had to talk to her before Beijing to explain the concept of team work and being nice to those she needed to help her.
I always put that attitude down to actually having to do everything for herself for 10 years.
It probably was but it needed someone with experience at the top level to chat with her and try to make her realise she was no longer in that position but that to get the best out of the people who could help her she needed to try to 'integrate' a little bit. Don't forget she struggled to settle into pro teams where she wouldn't have had to do everything for herself and ended up setting up her own (ill-fated) team.0 -
ChrisAOnABike wrote:
Me too!briantrumpet wrote:
Interesting how one little apostrophe can completely change the meaning of a simple phrase. I too was wondering what Nicole Cooke had done to deserve our ire.bompington wrote:All good, but I still don't get why we should rip?
[/pedant]
Alright, alright...sorting it out now0 -
I love Nicole Cooke, I'm glad this thread turned up because usually no-one listens but has there been a braver and more impressive British athlete?Look 566
Dolan Hercules
Genesis Flyer
Sintesi 707
Genesis Aether
Charge Plug0 -
Tyler Hamilton will make more money from a book describing how he cheated than I will make in all my years of honest labour. Please don't reward people like Hamilton with money. That is the last thing he needs. Donate his literary prize and earnings to charity. There are many places infinitely more deserving than the filthy hands of Hamilton.
Goes for Millar too I guess....http://www.georgesfoundation.org
http://100hillsforgeorge.blogspot.com/
http://www.12on12in12.blogspot.co.uk/0 -
RICK, King of Moderators, pls correct my typo in the thread title and remove the apostrophe
Ta muchly0 -
And in the meantime I'm getting email reminders of your errant punctuation each time someone posts. Tehe. Maybe the mods will just leave you to suffer a bit longer...Richmond Racer wrote:RICK, King of Moderators, pls correct my typo in the thread title and remove the apostrophe0 -
afx237vi wrote:Her WC win was one of the most exciting races I've ever seen.
+1"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0 -
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Richmond Racer wrote:
I can understand her battles and frustrations over the years, but it reads like Fr. Ted's "Golden Cleric" acceptance speech.'This week I 'ave been mostly been climbing like Basso - Shirley Basso.'0
