[KitMember]

Clearly one lady who’s had enough. Hope she does well in whatever her next challenge is.

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/news/latest/536378/nicole-cooke-retires-from-professional-cycling.html

[deviantMember]

Bravo, about time that those leaving the sport pointed out what is wrong and start rounding on the cheats rather than just spouting the usual platitudes about their career.

[Kryton57Subscriber]

“Tyler Hamilton will make more money from a book describing how he cheated than I will make in all my years of honest labour.”

[BlackhoundSubscriber]

In happier days at Ronde van Vlaanderen 2009:

IMG_1279 by blackhound59, on Flickr

Dani King to her right I think.

Heard Nicole was not so popular amongst the women racers but she got some great results and hope she has a long and happy retirement.

[kiloSubscriber]

Well said Cooke! Her 2008 worlds was a great race

[bikebouySubscriber]

Proper rider, proper hard. I wish her all the very best.

She speaks a lot of sense that girl and its a travesty that Women in sport earn far less than Men.

Good Girl.

[allthepiesMember]

She’s on Ch4 news in a few mins…

[WooksterSubscriber]

Shame really she was a great racer.

[SpinMember]

7:40 on Channel 4.

Can that one stay mods?

[matt_outandaboutSubscriber]

Well done – in career, in winning and in leaving such a clear message.

Hope she goes on to more great things.

[steviousMember]

Round of applause to that lady.

[MSPMember]

I read this earlier in the day, and have been thinking about it, and to be honest if she doesn’t name names, then it’s nothing but hot air.

[reggiegasketMember]

and its a travesty that Women in sport earn far less than Men

It’s certainly not ‘fair’ in that sense but it’s a function of the cycling fan base, which are mainly men. Same applies to football, cricket, etc.

Good luck to her. Things are changing so we’ll see how the female cycling world develops.

[stilltortoiseSubscriber]

Didn’t think much of her on the Channel 4 news to be frank. “Cycling is at its lowest point”?

[SpinMember]

and to be honest if she doesn’t name names, then it’s nothing but hot air.

It’s not that simple. Perhaps it should be but it isn’t.

It would have been nice if they’d asked her some questions about her career but I guess she kind of precluded that by her previous doping comments.

Anyway, Chapeau Nicole.

[svalgisMember]

It’s certainly not ‘fair’ in that sense but it’s a function of the cycling fan base, which are mainly men. Same applies to football, cricket, etc.

And why is that do you reckon? Could it have anything to do with the fact that women’s sports are treated like second class when it comes to marketing and coverage? Or are women just fundamentally worse athletes that’s just not worth paying as much attention to, aside from the occasional sexual remark in the comments section of a youtube video?

[MSPMember]

It’s not that simple. Perhaps it should be but it isn’t.

Actually I think it is now, the last 6 months has changed a lot in the sport, I think there is a real groundswell of support from the fans and amongst at least some of the teams to cut the cancer out of the sport.
Previously naming names would have brought a polite applause then everybody would have waved the whistkleblower away as she faded into oblivion.
Now I think actually revealing the truth would probably strengthen her future prospects to be associated with sport.
I also think now is the time Millar named names.

[breatheeasyMember]

And why is that do you reckon? Could it have anything to do with the fact that women’s sports are treated like second class when it comes to marketing and coverage?

Talking about this at work a few weeks ago. The big sports fans in the office just want to watch the best/fastest/strongest. That normally implies male sportsmen to them. And as men are predominantly the spectators I suppose that decides the marketing and coverage to some extent.

I’m not sure, I can’t work it out. The womens cycling at the Olympics was epic, but I have to admit there’s not much womens sport I watch (not that I get to watch much anyway…).

Catch 22 – if no-one is watching then no sponsors will pay good money and nobody will broadcast it, hence no-one gets to see it.

[Margin WalkerMember]

Not sure why she has quit so young. Rumours abound that she was a nightmare to work/ride with. Never seemed to be able to get a team and always moaning towards end of her career.

That said she was an awesome all rounder and her worlds win in 2008 was an AMAZING race. Worlds / olympic double also ridic.

Her commonwealth games win (about a mile from my house) where she crashed in last 2 miles, got back on and did em all in sprint was class.

[richpipsMember]

Her full statement via her website.

http://www.twitlonger.com/show/kn72pr

[dannyhMember]

It’s sad that she’s retired with this background, but hardly surprising.

You have to ask yourself why anyone who has always been clean wouldn’t speak out. It has obviously be eating her up inside, and would do to anyone who has been cheated out of their achievements. So why do so many supposedly clean riders not speak out?

In the culture of cynicism and mistrust caused by all dopers / match fixers etc, there are so many innuendos and strange happenings that it is so difficult to know what may be motivating people.

For example, can any minnow team now beat Pakistan in a cricket match without questions being asked. Can anyone put in a truly great performance on a bike without coming under suspicion?

Armstrong et al have pissed all over the sport that made them – and continue to do so.

If you are (and always have been) clean, then say so!

[buzz-lightyearMember]

I expect shes a total pain sometimes but forgive her forthrightness and damn the cheats instead. Look at her honours, all clean and truly honourable. Fantastic career Nicole. Good luck for the future.

[stratmanMember]

Devastating statement

Chapeau

[flap_jackSubscriber]

Women’s racing delivered the best road race of 2012 (Olympics). I really wish Rabobank had had the balls to quit the men’s pelaton but continue with the women.

[reggiegasketMember]

And why is that do you reckon? Could it have anything to do with the fact that women’s sports are treated like second class when it comes to marketing and coverage? Or are women just fundamentally worse athletes that’s just not worth paying as much attention to, aside from the occasional sexual remark in the comments section of a youtube video?

No. It’s that men spend more money on watching sport and buying sports-related gear. Football, cycling, rugby, cricket, golf – they are all watched (and therefore funded) primarily by men. Not entirely, obviously, but the vast majority of interest and income comes from men.

Not all sports are like this. But cycling is.

[hh45Member]

Really she is the best British women’s cyclist ever (modern era at least) but then I’m not a massive fan of track cycling.

Shame stories abound of her being selfish but aren’t so many sports people? As for retiring early isn’t it injury = loss of results related?

Wish her all the best for the future.

I must say I really enjoyed the Secret Race and didn’t feel to harsh on TH.

[martinhMember]

A great rider who achieved much in an era when British Cycling ignored women and now too wild a spirit to work with them. Without that spirit and attitude though she wouldn’t have achieved half of what she did.

[martinhutchSubscriber]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jan/14/nicole-cooke-retirement-statement

The full statement is getting lots of coverage today – it’s so powerful, articulate and refreshing in a sport where the truth is so often spoken in whispers.

It would be wonderful to see someone like Cooke seeking a senior role in the management of the sport. Probably not so wonderful for her, though!

[roady_tonyMember]

+1 martinh

[MidlandTrailquestsGrahamMember]

Rumours abound that she was a nightmare to work/ride with

I probably would be too if I was trying to ride a fair race and everyone around me was cheating.

[racefaceec90Member]

have just read her statement.definitely a well thought out/thought provoking statement.was shocked (sadly not surprised though),that women don’t get a minimum wage (or anything else it seems) that the men’s professional cycling teams have.

she is one of the greatest cyclists regardless of gender,and she can leave with her head held high. oh and as for the lance/drug cheats comments,cannot agree more with her 🙂

i wish her all the best for the future 🙂

[mavistoMember]

HUGE respect to Nicole.

In my opinion, given that she succeeded mostly on her own merit, the greatest cyclists this country has produced regardless of gender.

Her record across all the different genres of cycling speaks for itself.

And I wouldn’t blame her in the slightest for walking away from the sport after the way she has been treated and reported by the cyling media.

[winterfoldMember]

Awesome sportsperson ‘is difficult’ shocker.

She successfully sued 4 teams for unpaid wages. I wonder where that rumour came from?

And Lizzie – if you want to contest the sprint, try not to fall off…

I have always admired her because I bet she is an utter pain in the arse to race against, if shes like that a bit in real life, I can deal with it because winning the Olympics and Worlds in the same year was a huge step change in GB cycling success. And she did a lot of it on her own, I expect because she is ‘difficult’…

[BristolPabloMember]

its an interesting statement for sure, Hamilton may well have a big bank balance but Cooke has an Olympic gold (Hamilton doesnt) and Cooke also has a ten year unbeaten national road race championship record from 99-09(?) to look back on (it was something like that, wiki it if you are that keen!).

she probably was a bit tough to work with, she must have been hell to ride with, the Garmin team ganged up a bit on here in 2010 and although it was all fair enough, it was a bit savage to watch but in that race where Pooley won, Cooke rode her heart out.

I wish her all the best and hope she stays in the sport becuase it needs her, this is her incredible, multi-discipline 2001 Palmares:

1st UCI Road World Championships, Junior, Lisbon
1st UCI Time Trial World Championships, Junior, Lisbon
1st UCI Cross Country MTB World Championships, Junior, Colorado
1st GBR British National Road Race Championships
1st GBR British National Mountain Bike Championships
1st GBR British National Cyclo-cross Championships