What a difference four years can make. In Beijing, Nicole Cooke was the dominant rider in Women’s Cycling, taking wins in every important race on the Women’s calendar for several years running. Fast finish, good in the hills, good against the clock, she helped give context to what we mean by the term “all rounder”.
Four years on, she’s been struggling with injury and the pressures of forming her own team which has resulted in the inevitable reduction in results. But don’t count her out just yet; she has been showing some form already this year and during the last Olympic year, she burst into form for the event to take Gold. Add to that the motivation a British rider is sure to feel racing at her home Games, and you’d be a fool to leave her off your list of considerations.
Be that as it may, she’s facing up to a strong field. Kristen Armstrong dropped out of the Cascade Classic (while leading it) in order to prepare for the games. Not to mention Marianne Vos, who dominated the Giro last month – or Giorgia Bronzini, whose website I find vaguely frightening.
Review the route and study the weird, paged roster if you like pretending that helps you, and get your picks in by 5am Pacific on Sunday. (If you find Time Zone Mathematics too complicated, just get your picks in by the time the giant countdown timer in the banner goes to zero), regular One-Day VSP rules apply. Good luck.
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That was fun to watch. A great win for Vos and effort by the top three to maintain a consistent gap on the field over the last 15-20k in tough conditions. Too bad a mechanical dropped Olds from the lead group.
Picked 4 of the top 5, none in the correct position. These sour grapes are making me thirsty.
A'Merckx, if women's racing is like that all the time it defininly needs more coverage.
What a good race. Rain. Breaks. A sprint out of a select group. Good day for cycling. Another bad day for my VSP. I thought for sure that Evie would be up there with Vos Vos Vos Vos.
Never bet against her again.
Never.
Because unlike Boonen, Gilbert, and Spartacus, she seems incapable of having a great season followed by a not so great season.
Seemunkee takes it by a nose!
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@Jonny, @xyxax, @Erik
No kidding! That was much better than the Men's race! Constant attacks, gutsy riding, a great group, and an amazing finish. What happened to the Americans, though? Hello? Bueller?
@Erik
As the VMH pointed out, it seems she's got the strength and willingness to ride on the front that Faboo has, but has the ability to step back in the final and still ride a smart tactical race to finish it off. Seems like a lot of the guys have one half of that equation, but not both.
In any case - great race!
As is the case, the women's events can sometimes be a greater sporting spectacle than the comparable men's event.
Thread jack: I can sort of understand why women's road/TT events are shorter than men's, but can anyone give a logical reason why the WNBA uses a smaller ball than the NBA? I think this is true of olympics BB too.
@eightzero
Smaller average hand size?
@Gianni Ina is so far from being humourless it's ridiculous. Try having a beer with her sometime - you'll be in hysterics half the time. She is a top sort.
@Oli
Damn you Oli, does your knowledge have no bounds? I was banking on the German stereotype and her ability to crush her rivals and banking that no one was on drinking terms with her. Glad to hear she is a good sort. But, don't argue with me about Pooley being wee. Ya canna argue that.
And I wouldn't!