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:
I know as well as any of you that I've been checked out lately, kind…
Peter Sagan has undergone quite the transformation over the years; starting as a brash and…
The Women's road race has to be my favorite one-day road race after Paris-Roubaix and…
Holy fuckballs. I've never been this late ever on a VSP. I mean, I've missed…
This week we are currently in is the most boring week of the year. After…
I have memories of my life before Cycling, but as the years wear slowly on…
View Comments
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.