Portrait of a Hardwoman: Nicole Cooke
Cycling is hard; I’m not leaking any trade secrets with that statement, but it feels good to say it anyway. No Cyclist avoids suffering, but of those who venture into our world, there are some who seek to limit it while others choose to embrace it. Then we have a handful of characters who consider playing Whack-a-Mole with the Man with the Hammer to be good sport, particularly when playing the part of Mole.
In the current climate, it’s impossible not to consider the impact doping has on our sport. I, for one, have happily watched professional bike racing and delighted in the spectacle for close to thirty years, aware to varying degrees that doping is part and parcel of that spectacle I enjoy so much. In the last decade, I’ve gone so far as to assume most – if not all – riders are doping; a regrettable situation but one which has done little to temper my enthusiasm for the sport. After all, when all the riders are doing it, then surely what we’re watching is a level playing field of willing participants who understand how the game is played. Cheaters cheating cheaters hardly seems like cheating.
It’s all beautifully romantic so long as all the riders are doping. This is not the case, however; there are those who are racing clean against dopers. These riders are truly being cheated out of a livelihood by a culture which not only turns a blind eye to cheating, but who ostracize those who don’t. These riders who refuse to dope have few voices and last week, the sport lost one of the most forward of these with the retirement of Nicole Cooke.
Nicole has been a force in Women’s Cycling since turning Pro in 2002. A powerful rouleur, she excelled in every terrain and in any race format, but was nigh unbeatable in uphill finishes, taking a total of three La Fléche Wallonne Féminine titles, each of which required such a large laying of The V that it brought her to collapse. I was aware of her as much as anyone can be with the state of the coverage of Women’s Cycling, but she became one of my favorite riders after reading a piece in Rouleur about my favorite hub manufacturer, Royce. In the article, Royce’s Cliff Polton described being at a trade show when a young girl better described as a ball of loosely-contained energy bounded up on his booth and started asking about bottom bracket axles and wondering aloud if he could help her achieve her goal of becoming the wolds most dominant female cyclist.
Given what I understand of her personality, I get the feeling it was more like executing a plan than achieving a goal.
Cooke raced at the top of her sport for thirteen years; she scaled the heights of achievement with wins in every major race on the calendar including the Ronde van Vlaanderen voor Vrouwen, La Fleche, the Giro d’Italia Femminile and Grand Boucle (women’s Tour de France), the Olympic Road Race, and the World Championship Road Race. What’s more, she accomplished it while remaining staunchly anti-doping to the point that she faced sackings for refusing doping products.
Anyone who is a fan of Cycling should read Nicole’s retirement statement – I could never do it justice here. My personal hopes for the Pharmstrong Legacy is that it yields a a blood letting in the UCI and that the energy it spends on covering up its own corruption goes instead into promoting Women’s Cycling.
I’m sad to see Nicole go. Yet, for a rider who thrived in the hardest conditions and who unyieldingly stuck to her principles, I find it very fitting that the final two wins of her career came in Stages V of the Giro Femminile and Energiewacht Tour, respectively. Bravo, Nicole.
Here is the finale of her last Giro stage win:
@DerHoggz
He has an issue with anyone that has more talent, cycling gear, money, and/or time to enjoy it than he does. It’s just his thing, like the Oz/Kiwis with sheep.
@Buck Rogers
I’m an Art School drop out – it’s a wonder I can wipe my own arse…
@itburns
Yes, and if anyone wants to discuss the issue further, I recommend taking me to the edge of a cliff so I’ll push back harder.
That is all.
What an eloquent, well written and well argued retirement statement!
One of the many things that struck me was how the men’s team would be caught for doping and would lose sponsors. The team would use that to cut back on the women’s team while keeping the men’s team as-is.
@ChrisO
The financial, cultural, and historical factors involved in running a cycling team are so complicated that I don’t think anyone can make a simple direct calculation of an athlete’s commercial value (or should judge them by it.).
@ChrisO
I admire the fact that you stick around despite holding this view (rightly or wrongly) of yourself. I certainly disagree that you might be a cunt, you do sometimes act like one. But I have always believed that if someone doesn’t hate you, you’re not being honest enough. Some people here think everyone has to like them and no one can argue, and that’s bullshit as far as I’m concerned. You cunt.
Not quite – sponsorship is, like anything else in business, about return on investment. Sure, target audiences are a part of the equation, but they’re after getting a return on their investment – converting impressions of their brand into an increase in revenue for their business, whatever that might be or how its measured.
Based on this, any organization that has an interest in attracting sponsors – this would include the UCI and Women’s Cycling – needs to look at how this conversion occurs. Assuming the UCI has a vested interest in making money through promoting women’s sports, they have an obligation to make the sport as visible as possible.
Based on their calendar and the promotional effort that I can see as a fan, I can’t possibly conclude the UCI has a vested interest in helping make Women’s Cycling successful.
Women’s Cycling has the responsibility to make their sport appeal to all audiences that can attract sponsorship and audiences. They do their part as far as being exceptional athletes, making exciting racing, and having attractive and articulate athletes act as spokespeople. I hate to bring looks into this, but lets all be honest that being beautiful and having sex appeal makes the sport more appealing across sexes. I mean, look at Boonen and Cancellara – there’s a reason they’re loved by both gay and straight men and women across the globe – people love good looking people, regardless of sex and orientation.
Based on the last season of racing when we covered it in the VSP, I see no fault on the part of women’s racing in the above areas – they have met their end of the bargain. The UCI has not.
This is bullshit for Cycling since men who like watching men in spandex would have no qualms watching women in spandex, assuming the racing is good. There were lots of men on Velominati who fought having the Women’s VSP because they don’t follow women’s racing and at the end of the season they were glad we did it because by that time they were familiar with the athletes and the racing style. It’s a question of exposure.
This is nicely demonstrated by Alpine ski racing, where women and men get about equal coverage of racing (at least in the US) and as a fan I can’t see any obvious difference in treatment, though I don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. And, to be fair – it helps that the US Ski Team has the perfect female athlete (Vonn) to help promote it.
This is very true in all walks of life, but this is what a governing organization like the UCI is for – they are there to help provide the stage, the athletes provide the show. The UCI is found wanting in terms of providing the stage. Just look at the calendar.
As with anything, money is limited and the UCI has to prioritize. As I obliquely pointed out in the article, I think there is a tremendous amount of waste in how the UCI manages itself; if that waste was redirected into Women’s Cycling, I think the sport would turn around.
@eightzero
Yes, and you’re still wrong. You don’t buy your way to the top of the Mur de Huy, at least not when you’re competing agains Mary V for the win.
@itburns
Ah, it was time to hand out the V-Badge again anyway…
@G’rilla
I missed that – brilliant. Revise my previous statements to include not just the UCI but also any team with mens/women’s rosters.
An excellent point – ROI is key, but its all much closer to “guessing” than “science”.
So lets call it “Meteorology”.
@ChrisO its no fun to have a go at you when you already call yourself a cunt. Leave that to us.
@frank
swimming over here sounds similar to skiing in that mens and womens get equal coverage. i had a great sports and chicks experience this morning – we had a bunch of chicks in our swim squad who went very hard this morning. Eventually I had to destroy them but they went pretty hard for a fair while.
The fact that they are aged around 12 and 13 didnt make me feel like any less of an athlete.
@freddy
Great, great read. Thanks for that. I wish I had more time to read other cycling sites; one of the few downsides of running Velomianati…
Nicole Cooke won Junior gold medals in road, track, and MTB.
After winning the Giro d’Italia, she took home £240 in prize money.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2004/aug/10/athensolympics2004.cycling?INTCMP=SRCH
Make that road, TT and MTB.
@frank
No? Hardworking dutch girl puts in her miles, sacrifices being a kid so she can compete against hardwomen everywhere, and rightfully wears the palmares that go with the work. She sacrificed. Didn’t say Evie didn’t work hard, never said she didn’t train…but her “sacrifice” only came after she had a sizable bank account. Boo hoo.
Not a fan of rich people that achieve because they have every advantage money can buy. That’s not sport. That’s just…business.I get that all day long, and I get paid to put up with it. Not how I spend my recreational moments.
Be a fan if you want. We’ve had this discussion, and I choose who I want to root for. It ain’t spoiled little rich girls. And I’m ok with you telling me I’m wrong, because that’s sport too.
It’s sad that she felt the need to retire at such a relatively young age, I hope she doesn’t make a comeback when it is too late.
I remember watching the Beijing road race and the amount of ground she lost after loosing her line in the final bend, to lay down The V and win the sprint in horrendous conditions was just brilliant. A true hardwoman’s finish.
Her rivalry with Armistead probably hurt both of them; who would select either knowing that they may not work for the team and think primarily of themselves?
@eightzero poor, fat, unmotivated muppet who wins the Tour
‘Not a fan of rich people that achieve because they have every advantage money can buy. That’s not sport. That’s just…business.I get that all day long, and I get paid to put up with it. Not how I spend my recreational moments.’
@G’phant oops – iPad and/or fat finger malfunction. For the record, I do not think eightzero is a poor, fat, unmotivated muppet.
@G’phant
Shit…and there was me thinking that it was just warming up for the days postings!!
The sooner the cycling inequality is addressed the better for the sport.
Shape up or ship out for the decision makers that dont support the girls.
Lets face it their out there winning Gold medals and would spank the best of us in competition.
Exactly right…when you see the headline “poor, fat, unmotivated, lazy muppet with a curry additction wins tour de france”, you’ll know it was me, and I want some serious hero worship!
Today is D1. Just got back from the physio and surgeon and they have signed off the ankle. Now if it will just stop fucking snowing, I could get out on my bike and start training for the 2014 tdf start here in the UK!!
@Chris Adams
Yes but saying
“The sooner the cycling inequality is addressed the better for the sport.
Shape up or ship out for the decision makers that dont support the girls.”
Is part of the problem. It is not something that can be left to others to sort out. It is down to every single person to make it happen. Whether that be signing petition, refusing to hold a license and making it know why, or as simple as encouraging as many women to attend your club runs as you can. You/Me/We all cannot leave it to the powers that be to correct things because.
To adopt a quote originally from Charles F Aked
“It has been said that for evil men to accomplish their purpose it is only necessary that good men should do nothing”
I am not saying anyone is actually evil here…..simply that those that sit by and expect others to ring the changes are actually part of the problem…..the same maxim applies to those that did not not dope but said nothing…..and many other situations across life the world and the universe.
The comments are general rather than directed specifically @Chris Adams
@Deakus Good luck with the post op crap Deakus. I feel your pain still in Physio with a crook back and shoulder. MRI yesterday not an experience I would recommend. Are you planning a pre or post 2014 TDF spin Yorkshire way.
PS 10oC on Monday lets hope it pisses it down and melts the all friggin snow.
@Chris Adams
Yes indeed! We have offices in Scacroft near Leeds and myself and a colleague are planning a “business trip” around those days with bikes in the back of the car. It may be necessary to stay over for such important “business meetings”!
Maybe a Cogal around the time would be good?
@Deakus
Hope the back gets better….if it is muscular then 10 minutes a days with an icepack followed by 10 minutes with a hot water bottle (in a cover of some sort) will work wonders.
I am stunned by how little GPs know about this sort of stuff these days…spent quite some time with Osteos, Chiros and Physio trying to sort out an old neck injury until a wise old GP suggested this course of action….6 weeks later…all fixed!
@Deakus Agreed!
It starts in the home and encouraging the kids (was referring to the dude at the UCI in particular).
@Marcus
You’ve forgotten where you are again haven’t you grampa. Derelict-fucking-triathletes-who-run-even-when-they-haven’t-stolen-something.com is another website.
@Chris Adams The injuries are a work in progress most importantly not restricting my cycling. I’d be up for a TDF Cogal. Having recently destroyed myself on the hills in Harrogate
This is a very interesting article – it’s a scientific paper so not an easy read but basically discusses the principles of anti-doping and the consequences of allowing medically supervised doping, with the conclusion it might not be such a bad idea.
Some very interesting examples given.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1851967/
@ChrisO
This was a really interesting read….if nothing else to demonstrate what Bad Medecine is and how unsubstantiated, circumstantial evidence, with a very obvious lack of evidential data can lead to so called “common sense” conclusions being written.
Far from being a balanced medical paper this starts with a premice and then seeks to prove it by selectively picking anecdotes and avoiding some of the glaringly obvious negative evidence. Very little mention is given to athletes who have died from doping and in fact in parts the paper contradicts itself….especially when it starts to talk about anti-doping driving the behaviour underground.
It is written to sound like a medical paper, published in a medical context giving an impression of being a quality piece of research, without actually being so. I had a quick scan through the bibliography and mostly found articles, papers and scripts in a similar vein equally lacking in rigour or any type of peer review.
Interesting to read @ChrisO but I would have to say largely biased drivel…..some valid points are made, but they remain unchallenged or tested so can be given no creadence….this is more like a group of 3 people who have decided they want to state a case and carried on and done so…
@ChrisO
Just by way of example, I picked one of the bibliography entries that sounded most likely to be a peer reviewed piece of medical research. It actually led to a piece on death in young people through heart attacks which is in fact entirely hereditary…..this has nothing to do with doping and is in fact about pre-screening sports people for a genetic heart defect.
Med Pregl. 2012 Sep-Oct;65(9-10):396-404.
[Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy as a cause of sudden death in young people–literature review].
Institut za medicinsku fiziologiju, Univerzitet u Beogradu, Medicinski fakultet, Beograd.
Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia is a progressive condition with right ventricular myocardium being replaced by fibro-fatty tissue. It is a hereditary disorder mostly caused by desmosome gene mutations. The prevalence of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy is about 1/1000-5000. Clinical presentation is usually related to ventricular tachycardias, syncope or presyncopa, or ventricular fibrillation leading to cardiac arrest, mostly in young people and athletes. It may be difficult to make the diagnosis of arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy due to several problems arising from the specificity of electrocardiograph abnormalities, different potential etiologies of ventricular arrhythmias with a left bundle branch morphology, the assessment of the right ventricular structure and function, and the interpretation of endomyocardial biopsy findings. Therefore, standardized diagnostic criteria have been proposed by the Study Group on arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy of the European Society of Cardiology. In order to make the diagnosis ofarrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy, a number of clinical tests are employed, including the electrocardiogram, echocardiography, myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, myocardial biopsy, right ventricular angiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and genetic testing. The therapeutic options include beta blockers, antiarrhythmic drugs, catheter ablation, and implantable cardioverter defibrillator. The implantable cardioverter defibrillator is the most effective safe-guard against arrhythmic sudden death. Preparticipation screening for sport eligibility has been proven to be effective in detecting asymptomatic patients and sport disqualification has been lifesaving, substantially declining sudden death in young athletes.
@ChrisO
If you find this kind of stuff interesting I cannot recommend more highly Bad Medicine by Ben Goldacre. It rips apart everything from Homeopathic remedies to Thelidamide and MMR press scares and analyses in a very entertaining a evidenced based way how and why these things occur…..it changed the way I view medicines and the medical establishment and its relationship with drugs companies and the press…
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bad-Science-Ben-Goldacre/dp/000728487X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1358949974&sr=1-1
@Deakus
You may disagree with it but it is a peer-reviewed piece of research. The author is a professor in the faculty of medicine at the University of Geneva who has authored or co-authored more than a hundred articles – not the type usually given to getting together with a group of people and dressing up spurious opinion.
It was cited by Professor Ross Parker of the Science of Sport website. He doesn’t agree with it either but doesn’t seem to question that it was a valid contribution. In fact he said he had previously co-authored papers with the writer.
I’m familiar with Ben Goldacre’s work but his baddies tend to be those who interpret science in media or marketing/advertising, rather than the science itself and I don’t see that as applicable in this case.
@Deakus
@Chris Adams
I strongly feel the women have been racing very well and putting on a show well worth watching by men and women alike; as promoters of the sport, it seems to me the burden lies with the UCI at the moment.
McQuaid needs to go, the sooner the better.
@Deakus
I had to check the link to make sure this wasn’t an old Velominati article – it sounded so much like the kind of thing one of us (namely me) would write!
@Yannersan
Didn’t she talk about that being a calculated risk? She hung back and went wide, giving anyone who crashed in front of her enough room to slide out without taking her down with them. She figured catching up from a crash would be harder than from leaving a gap.
Good plan when you have the guns to close it back down. Awesome, awesome race. Her win in the Worlds was similarly brilliant. She was on the wheel of the rider in front of her and as Vos came by, she was all over it. Brilliant riding.
@ChrisO
Actually you are correct. I looked back at your intial post and you did indeed refer to it as an article…in which case the professor and his cohorts can postulate all the theories like and there is no requirement for him to counter or argue his own points.
However I stopped being impressed by University Professors simply because they have a doctorate a long time ago, history is riddled with academics who have been proven to be anything but. I prefer to judge by actions and deeds these days.
As I said the article was an interesting read, I just found the fact that it was so one sided to be rather poor, I would much rather have seen them discuss the pros…and the cons, it would have been much more interesting, without the counterpoint I fail to see what if any conclusions we can draw from their discussion
Thanks for posting it anyway, like I said, there are some interesting points made and I may well look up some more of the references to see what other gems lie within.
@frank
Completely agree, I am no fan of the UCI and in particular Pat Mc Quid and the continually influence of old members post retirement.
Last years VSP for women challenged me to really up my knowledge on womens cycling and I really enjoyed the season. This years could also be very interesting….The Vos Boss is currently doing the rounds and interviews and is waxing pretty lyrical about Armistead and how she believes they are fairly well matched although she right postulates that she has the slight edge (personally I think it is maturity and focus that is making the difference)
I am really looking forward to this years womens VSP…if Sky continue to dominate (Thomas is rocking in the Tour Down Under at present) then this years womens season could actually be more exciting than the mens!……now there’s something to think about..
@Deakus
Speaking as one who in two days time will hand in his Master’s thesis, I thoroughly concur. I have learned why the term ‘academic’ also has a perjorative meaning.
As far as I can tell the whole thing was a box-ticking exercise of form over substance. It is no exaggeration to say that my adviser provided more comments about the length of my paragraphs and the alignment of my tables than about the content or discussion.
@ChrisO
Good Luck!
@G’phant
This ain’t about me – this about who I root for to be a champion. People born with Big Engines can be exciting to watch, and I can be inspired by them. I can’t be inspired by somone that gets to train more, but more tous (or dope?) than somone else becuase they have a wad of dough in the bank. I can sort of relate to that.
No need for apologies! Call me crazy. Call me a bitch. But did you just call me fat? Yeah, ok I’m fat too. :-( Muppet? Sure – I look like a fucking g’rilla humping a tennis ball when I’m on a bike. Unmotivated? Yeah…I have to work all day because I don’t have a wad of dough in the bank, and when I get home I’m tired. So yeah, I suck. But I ain’t gonna root for spolied little rich girls. Doesn’t mean I don’t wanna date em, see em race, or admire what they look like – I just kinda grin when a beast like Nikki Cooke, or a hardwoman mother of 3, or a little girl that can only train on the weekend because she helps her family pay the rent beats her mano-a-mano. Money can’t buy everything. Speed, sure. My fandom? Nope.
Tired of this. I like watching women race bikes. It’s inspirational just seeing them risk everything. Pain? Sure. But they have bodies built to take childbirth of 10 pound baby boys…I’m guessing a Little V ain’t such a big deal to them. I’d sure like to be like them.
And have Evie’s bank account.
@ChrisO
No kidding! Don’t you hate that! I remember doing presentations during residency and fellowship, work that took a ton of research and time, and the main comments would be about how you forgot to capitalize this or your margins were too narrow or something. Makes you want to throw it all right in their face!
@eightzero
But then you would hate yourself. Might get awkward on long rides.
Speaking of Hard Men – you guys do realize that I have just as many Tours wins and twice as many balls as Lance Armstrong don’t you?
While I agree women’s cycling takes a backseat to men’s, there seems to be various aspects we are all talking about. Is it tv broadcasting, media coverage, sponsorships, prize money, promotions, marketing, quality of competition etc?
I can see how it is disparaging for the female athletes. For those that follow college hockey, women’s hockey suffers so horribly, there is no game admission charge, whereas the men’s tickets can fetch hundreds for the local Bean Pot tournament. They’ve tried scheduling the women’s games straight after the men’s, thinking a few folks would stay and watch the women. The seats cleared out and the usual local parents are all to be seen.
I don’t think the poor showing by the UCI to get female cycling out there is unique to that governing body. There is a real disconnect with professional women’s sports, and I don’t necessarily believe it has anything to do with who’s running it. The proof that women and athletics can NOT be a reliable source of revenue is complete BS. One need not look any further than Lululemon Athletica, ticker LULU on the NASDAQ. Phenomenal growth in a yes, i’ll say it, women specific line of athletic attire. But ask yourself, how many of the women doing yoga knew that LULU also sponsors a team with Specialized? How many of them knew yoga provides an amazing stepping stone to being a cyclist? How many knew that cycling can be as social as you want it, and also as reclusive as you make it?
You know when times are exciting? It’s when Rule #82 happens. We close the gap, we make it relevant. That’s a metaphor worth taking a 2nd look at.
end of delusional rant.
@eightzero
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFBOQzSk14c
@ChrisO
Oh my word! I thought I was the only one to have this feeling, as I work through my own thesis. Thanks, this gave me a good laugh & let some stress slip off my shoulders. Definitely dealt with advisers who seemed to be negative about all the wrong things just for the sake of saying something negative. No real comment on the work itself, the potential, the direction, just pissing on little “form” parts. Excellent, makes me feel like I’m not the only one who enjoys pursuing things academically but wants to slug most academics in the mouth.
@Cyclops
WOW!
@eightzero
Speaking of sport, its so easy to rile you up on this, it nearly takes the fun out of it.
Nearly, but not quite.
I’m not arguing whether to like her or not, I’m arguing your premise. I think its a misconception that everyone on wallstreet is so wealthy they can retire at 25 or whatever she is and not have to worry about money again.
In fact, my experience is that the more money you make, the more beholden you are to your job and the more you come to rely on have that level of income or more.
Where you see a spoiled kid, I see a girl who had a comfortable life and gave it up to go work a hell of a lot harder for a hell of a lot less money, with a hell of a lot less security – especially with the state of women’s cycling.
I admire that kind of risk-taking; it makes me like her all the more.
@roger
Is your point that Lululemon should be doing more to promote their team, the racing, and the sport? Excellent point. We were just in one of those stores and there was absolutely no mention of it, no posters, no nothing. Excellent point that the sponsors themselves miss the opportunity to promote the sport.
As with all interesting topics, it is a very murky pond we’re swimming in. But the point stands that with how much energy the UCI puts into covering up its corruption, they should be doing much more to be uncorrupt and redirect their energy into promoting the women’s side of the sport.
@frank
If we didn’t have this on the interwebs, all we’d have is skateboarding cats. Since I can’t pedal a bike worth a Merckx damn, I have to find some place to turn a pedal in anger.
That isn’t how she markets hereself. When I read Nikki Cooke’s piece, I hear about how a kid sacrified the most important part of her life to compete. To that I say “wow.” When I read a recent piece about Evie, she said (a reasonable direct quote) “I don’t feel bad about coming in second in the TT to [Kristen Armstrong]. She’s had 4 years to prepare (yeah, by having a kid-ed) and 4 years ago I was behind a desk [on wall street].” To that I repeat: boo hoo. And all those people that came in 3rd and lower? Nice way to dismiss their effort, honey.
Seems to me the vast majority of wall street bankers are pretty good with taking huge risks with other people’s money. Their job, as they see it, it to maximize their gain and shift losses to their “clients.” Gordon Gekko would have fit right in the peloton. Screw ’em. So Evie has a truckload of bikes and gear paid for by the sale of Blue Star Airlines and Teldar Paper stock transactions. Good on them.
@roger
Man, it would have been fun to see COTHO call DOPRAH a fat bitch. She’d have wasted him instantly.