The women's road race

[mattc]

There are 23 pics up on Bikeradar HERE that show a beaming Ms Cooke and a large gold medal 

Something that struck me yesterday during the coverage was how fit she looked over previous years.  Even her arms look stronger and more toned.

Great exposure for CBoardman bikes too 

Thanks for that link.
Wonderful set of photos, it was so incredibly wet!.

Good shots of Nicole. She is a real animal on a bike, reminds me of Bernard Hinault. I wouldn't like to get in her way.

... and yet really genuinely pleased about the result, in a sort of  non-aggressive kind of way. If that makes any sense!

[Frenchie]

... and yet really genuinely pleased about the result, in a sort of  non-aggressive kind of way. If that makes any sense!

It does!!

[mattc]

Liked this:
Beijing Olympics: Champion Nicole Cooke's childhood training secrets  - Telegraph

especially:

[Dad Tony:]"When she was 14 she was waiting for me to go for a ride with her when she said: 'You don't have to come with me. I get cold waiting for you at the top of the hills.'"


However, his support for his daughter has landed him in trouble: at the Athens Olympics in 2004, the day before Miss Cooke's road race, he was caught painting her name on the street and arrested, but later released without charge.

[Riggers]

Has no one mentioned those rather nice looking metal road barriers, that had been made to look like bendy logs, that the ladies had to cycle pass? I thought they were aesthetically jolly good.

[Ray 6701]

Fantastic! well deserved and about time after the last olympics & the last couple of worlds.  The changes she has made to her racing & all the preperation work has finally paid off.
It made for a great sunday morning ride

[alecstilleyedye]

i think she's got a good chance in the time trial. how often have we seen an athlete win their main event, only to carry the form through to another one and win again (kelly holmes springs to mind).

she's in great form, the course is suitable for her, she's a former junior world tt champion and has won the time trial stages in the tour de france. the bookies might not rate her chances, but i do.

[scampi]

^^^ great pics BTW.

I was really pleased to hear this. I was out for a Sunday morning ride and had stopped at the post office in Sixpenny Handley for a drink and was told "our girl did it!" by a passer-by -- made my ride.

[gonzo]

I was really pleased to hear this. I was out for a Sunday morning ride and had stopped at the post office in Sixpenny Handley for a drink and was told "our girl did it!" by a passer-by -- made my ride.

Did you tell them that they should have said that they were about to issue a spoiler first?