Go Nicole!!!

Just had to start this thread to big up Nicole and British cycling!

Yesterday Nicole Cooke who is currently the British Womens Road Champion won Fleche-Wallonne in Belgium and is now the proud wearer of the leaders jersey in the Womens World Cup competition!!!!.

I’m just so chuffed! On Sunday she won Amstel Gold and now Fleche-Wallonne. Both of these are classic one day races and unlike some of the womens races, these are run on the same course ( but slightly shorter) on the same day as the mens event, so it guarantees good crowds and lots of publicity.

Nicole really is awesome – when she was a junior she was World Road, MTB and Cyclo-cross Champion and she now rides for the womens pro road team, Ausra Gruodis Safi, based in Italy. What’s more she’s only just 20!

I’ve actually been lucky enough to meet her last year and she’s lovely - very unassuming. Her Sports Agent ,Mike,is a friend of ours, and my best cycling Claim to Fame is she once borrowed my bike.

Mike and my boyfriend Ben went out for a ride with her and they just couldn’t believe her speed and strength.( She was only 19 at the time) Mike had been manfully trying to match her pace for most of the ride but when they reached the bottom of a Ditchling Beacon – a notorious local ‘hill’ of about 2 miles with a horrible gradient- Nicole just took off and totally left Mike and Ben grovelling at the foot of the climb , and just looking on in amazement.

So anyway – Hurray for Nicole. I’m really hoping with this she’ll get plenty of publicist in the UK to encourage us roadies and maybe inspire other girls to get on their bike and give it a go.

:D :D :D

she sounds amazing! But what in the world does 'chuffed' mean?! We must not have that word here in Minnesota :confused:

Chuffed - well, if I was in Australia I'd be saying I was 'stoked' or 'made up'. But in England it means very pleased and proud.

It's actually a word more from the North of England, Yorkshire or Lancashire but it's all over the place now.

Yes - Nicole really is something. She seems to favour going for a break on hills which she did on Sunday and yesterday. I was reading on Cyclingnews website and apparently she was so tired she could hardly stand, and couldn't even raise her hand as she crossed the line.

Britain isn't exactly a big in the world of cycling so to have someone in the World Cup Leaders jersey is cool - but that fact it's a girlie is even better. :p