29/04/03 Having sat out the GP Liberazione Nicole didn't waste her time. She took the opportunity to try her hand at sports photography and came up with this picture of team mate Diana Ziliute taking out the sprint.

Click on the photo for a better look at Nicole's camera work.

28/04/03  With Ausra Gruodis-Safi and Accadue O committed to defending Nicole's World Cup Series lead, they've named their strongest line up to support her in Montreal.

The riders selected to travel to Canada for the fifth round will be:

Ausra Gruodis - Safi:

Nicole Cooke
Rochelle Gilmore
Giorgia Bronzini
Francesca Pellegrino

Accadue O - Pasta Zara

Diana Ziliute
Chantal Beltman
Ghita Beltman
Noemi Cantele

The riders will fly to Montreal on the 29th May, with the race taking place two days later on the 31st.

27/04/03  Ausra Gruodis-Safi and Accadue O have decided to throw everything at the World Cup to defend Nicole's lead in the 9 race series.

"It wasn't one of my original objectives" explains Nicole. "I ddn't ride the first race, and despite going well didn't place highly in San Remo or Castilla y Leon."

"But winning Amstel Gold and Flèche Wallonne puts me in the lead after 5 of the 9 rounds. That's a great honour, and it's also a great opportunity because the next two rounds in Montreal and Plouay really suit me"

"So the team has decided to make it their main focus. It's a long way to go to Canada, and expensive to send a full team, but we will do that. The team will send the strongest squad to back me, and I will give it my best shot"

The race in Montreal is at the end of May, and Nicole will then also ride the 3 day Tour of Grande Montreal.

The changes in the schedule means Nicole won't have a planned break during May before defending her British Road Race title in June and the Tour of Italy in July.

"We'll see how it goes for the Giro. I may now just race for some good days rather than the GC. The European Under 23's in Greece though will definitely still be a major objective, as well as the return trip to Canada for the World Championships at the end of the season."

27/04/03 We have just received 8 great new pictures of Nicole's World Cup win in Belgium. Click on the pictures below to visit the gallery, and thanks to Rudie Ottens for supplying them.

25/04/03 Nicole will be having a couple of days off the bike this weekend. She'll take the opportunity of a mini break in her programme to visit a former team mate in Bologna.

She'll resume training in the middle of the week, building up to her next race which is an addition to her original schedule.

She rides the 7th Trofeo Banca Popolare Alto Adige over 3 days in Bolzano.

With regards to her schedule after that we will have news of whether or not she'll defend her world cup leader in Montreal here on the site on Sunday (early afternoon).

25/04/03  After basking in the glory of two back to back world cup wins, Nicole spent Liberation day basking in the sunlight with the National Holiday crowds.

She also had more to celebrate as Diana Ziliute produced a fourth win in five days for the Acca Due 0/Ausra Gruodis squad.

The two sister squads rode together as a mixed team with Nicole and Francesca Pelligrini sitting out the GP Liberazione.

This was partially due to race regulations restricting them to ten riders, and Nicole having not fully recovered from her World Cup exertions.

The race in Crema south of Milan was pan flat over 11 laps of a 10k circuit. As Nicole predicted earlier in the week her team mates rode for in form Ziliute who didn't disappoint in the sprint finish.

Her winning time was 2 hours 37 minutes and 32 seconds with Sloussarava 2nd, Martissova 3rd, Rossi 4th and Wright 5th.

Nicole also took the opportunity of being of her bike to take a photo of the finish which we will bring you shortly.

25/04/03 Nicole rides the GP Liberazione in Italy as the 11th highest rider in the UCI rankings.

It's her highest ever placing, and is an impressive feat having started at the bottom as a new pro barely more than a year ago. Nicole is the only 20 year old inside the top 100.

Two World Cup wins in 4 days have provided a major boost. She was 23rd before Amstel Gold, with victory in that race moving her up 9 places to 14th.

Success in Flèche Wallonne moved her up a further three places and she's now poised to break into the top ten.

See the full rankings

24/04/03 Britains most succesful Male Cyclist has heaped praise on Nicole after her two back back world cup wins.

Olympic Gold Medallist and World Hour Record holder Chris Boardman said "she really is a phenomenon ... I can't think of anybody who's come close to doing what she's doing now"

Click to hear Chris Boardman on Nicole's victory in Flèche Wallonne. Need Real Audio? click here

24/04/03 Two days after her second World Cup success shot her to the top of the Series Standings Nicole will be helping her team mates win on Friday.

"25th April is Liberation day in Italy and we always race whatever day of the week that is." she explains.

"The GP Liberazione is based on a circuit of 7km and it should be one for the sprinters. We'll all be working to get another win for Ausra Gruodis, perhaps for Diana (Ziliute). She won last weekend and is in good form at the moment after missing out on the track World Cup with a fever."

News of the race here on Friday afternoon.

Nicole was taking it easy on Thursday after the excitement of back to back World Cup wins, huge media attention, and an all night drive back to Italy.

Meanwhile we should know early next week whether Nicole will go to Montreal next month to defend her lead in the World Cup series.

First news on nicolecoooke.com

23/04/03  10 days after leaving her teenage years behind Nicole has truly come of age as a star of womens cycling with two defining victories.

Winning a World Cup race is a notable achievement, winning two in 4 days is outstanding, and to do it aged 20 is nothing short of remarkable.

In Flèche Wallonne Nicole again proved that she has strength, endurance, speed, and cycling savvy.

Her reward is not just back to back World Cup wins but the overall lead in the competition after 5 rounds.

Report, Results, Thoughts

23/04/03 Nicole's victory in Flèche Wallonne required her to push herself beyond her limit as these cyclingnews.com pictures show. She required help to get of her bike as she crossed the line and was unable to speak for several minutes.

"It's the worst feeling I've ever had... I was completely drained...I couldn't feel my legs at all!" More of Nicole's thoughts

click the photos above to see larger images

23/04/03

Click to hear Nicole talking to the BBC about winning Flèche Wallonne. Need Real Audio? click here

23/04/03  Nicole has won back to back World Cups and now leads in the overall World Cup standings.

She won todays fifth round Flèche Wallonne by 4 seconds from Sue Palmar-Komar after a late counter attack on the brutal Mur de Huy.

Nicole now has 157 points in the overall standings Sara Carrigan 140 and Mirjam Melchers 9th in Fleche 124

Full results, report, and thoughts

23/04/03  14.30 UK TIME

SENSATIONAL NEWS. NICOLE HAS WON BACK TO BACK WORLD CUP EVENTS.

She has won todays fifth round Flèche Wallonne.

Nicole is elated with her second win of the week, thanking each of her teammates as they crossed the line.

The details we have so far are that there was an attack at 500 meters on the final brutal climb, then a rider who countered the attack and than the final jump. She was completely exhausted by her effort on the Mur and took several minutes to recover before she could speak!


A full report will appear here

23/04/03  The fifth round of the World Cup got underway in Huy with Nicole at her highest ever position in the UCI rankings.

After her victory in the Amstel Gold race she moved up 9 places to number 14.

To see the full rankings click here

She's now one place higher than last years Flèche Wallonne winner Fabiana Luperini.

Updates from Belgium once we have them

22/04/03  Nicole rode the course for the 6th edition of the womens Flèche Wallonne on Tuesday afternoon.

"It's fairly tough, very similar to the Amstel Gold course" says Nicole.

"The roads aren't so narrow so it will be easier to stay at the front, but it's actually tougher than the race on Sunday."

"Once again the last climb should be decisive. I think there will be a smaller group by the time we get there though".

The race, like the mens event, finishes by going up the Mur de Huy. This legendary 'wall' is a tough 1.4 kilometre climb averaging around 10%, but in places is as steep as 20%.

During training Nicole reported that her legs felt fine after Sundays race winning exertions, but a slight sore throat.

"Of course I'd love to win again, but it will be even harder this time. I just have to ride smart and see what happens"



Click the image above for more maps.

The 97.5 km race starts in Huy at 12.15 CET on Wednesday and is scheduled to finish at around 3pm CET in the same Belgian town.

We will bring you news of Nicole's progress as soon as possible.

21/04/03  Following Nicole's victory in the Amstel Gold Race we have more pictures and a chance for you to hear her toughts on being the first British rider ever to win a World Cup race (you wll need Real Audio Player)

Click on the pictures above to go the gallery to view all the Amstel Gold Race Pictures (and thanks to Dick Soepenberg for providing them).

Click on the picture on the left to hear Nicole talking to the BBC after the race Need Real Audio? click here

Also check out all the messages in the support centre.

Nicole would like to thank everyone of you for your support.

20/04/03  Nicole has won her first ever round of the World Cup.



After joining a breakaway in the Amstel Gold race she held off a strong charge from the bunch up the final climb of the Cauberg to win round four of this years championship.

Full Report, Results, Thought, Photos



"I was the strongest rider in Spain (Castilla y Leon) and didn't win, but I knew my form was good enough. I'm absolutely over the moon"

After her first win of the season in the Netherlands , she'll now be looking ahead to Wednesdays fifth round in Belgium, La Flèche Wallonne.

20/04/03  Nicole has won the 2003 Amstel Gold Race. It's her first victory of the season.

The race in the Netherlands was the fourth round of the World Cup, and it's Nicole's first win in that competition. In fact she's the first ever British winner of a World Cup race, and the victory moves her into the top five overall.

She was part of a three woman break which was swept up by the field as they reached the climax up the Cauberg. However she was strong enough to hang on and win by over 30 metres!

Full report, results, thoughts, photos here

20/04/03  The Amstel Gold World Cup race began at 11 o'clock CET in bright sunlight.

Temperatures are expected to rise to 20 degrees.The wind will be mainly from the east, gusting up to 20 km/h.

The women ride a shoter circuit than the men who started 45 minutes earlier. Click the image below for larger maps.



The women ride 115 kilometres over two loops which includes the Cauberg twice including the finish.

This climb is 500 metres at 9% then 800 metres at 2.6% (false flat). The overall grade averages 4.7% with the steepest part 12% 600m from the bottom. The overall height is
141m.

"This is a strong riders course" thinks Nicole, "and whilst the repeated climbs will whittle down the field the last climb up the Cauberg is likely to be decisive."

We will have the result online as soon as possible, with reports, Nicole's thoughts and photos if available later.

20/04/03  Nicole is looking forward to two World Cup races in 4 days in North West Europe with high hopes of her first victory of the season. The first rcae is Amstel Gold in the Netherlands on Sunday (20th April) followed by Fleche Wallonne in Belgium 3 days later.

The Ausra Gruodis-Safi team of five for the races will be:

Nicole Cooke
GunnRita Dahle
Rochelle Gilmore
Giorgia Bronzini
Erica Viliunite

Nicole has three good reasons for hoping to do well.

Firstly she's in excellent form as her performances in recent races have shown.

Secondly with no high finishes in the first three races she's not a threat to overall World Cup contenders.

Thirdly racing in the low countries suit her.

"I raced in Holland as a junior and did well there. I always enjoyed it. The terrain and often the weather suit me"

"In the Amstel Gold there are some short sharp hills, including Cauberg at the finish. Both races are bound to be very hard"

If you would like full details of the Amstel route visit www.amstelgoldrace.com for all the background to the mens and womens races.

15/04/03  As we head towards World Cup races in the Netherlands and Belgium in the next week news that there could soon be another for the women to race from next year.

Both this weeks Amstel Gold and Fleche Wallonne races have mens and womens editions.

Now it seems the Ronde van Vlaanderen (Tour of Flanders) could wel follow suit in 2004, taking place on the same day as the men's race and finishing a couple of hours earlier.

13/04/03  Another good result for Nicole, but after finishing 2nd for the 2nd time this season Nicole was disappointed and frustrated at missing out on her first win.

A victory would have added an extra sparkle to her birthday celebrations - 20 today - but she didn't quite get her sprint right after once again animating the race in the 17th GP Polisportiva Cavrie.

"I should have won," said an annoyed Nicole afterwards.

"There was a lot of pressure on me today. I was nervous and I started the sprint too soon."

Report, Results, Thought, Photos

11/04/03   After a hard week of training Nicole returns to race action this weekend with an Italian national race.

It's a busy weekend for the Acca Due O and Ausra Gruodis-Safi squad with some of the younger developement riders in the Netherlands for Ronde van Noord-Holland, and others in South Africa for the Track World Cup.

Diana Ziliute should have been in Capetown but had a fever last weekend so didn't travel and will now join Nicole in Cavrie along with Zita Urbanaite, Erika Vilunaite, Katia Longhin, Francesca Pelligrine, Naemoi Cantele and Indre Januleviciute.

"Cavrie is a couple of hours away from our base in Treviso" explains Nicole, "and though it's not an international race the field will be strong."

"The race is 25 laps of a 3.2km circuit, and normally is a race for the sprinters - last year Gretta Zocca won - but I am still looking forward to it."

We will have results and a report online as soon as possible on Sunday evening.

Meanwhile if you haven't done so yet make sure you check out the new technical page

05/04/03  Nicole will spend the weekend training after her directeur sportif decided to rest the Ausra Gruodis-Safi and Acca Due O squads this weekend.

They had been due to ride a Granfondo. These are mass participation rides similar to reliability trials, but if you've ever ridden one you'll know they are very competitive at the front!

"We've had a busy couple of weeks, travelling straight from San Remo to Spain for the tour and world cup event at Castilla y Leon" Nicole explains.

"And next week we've squads going to three different races all over, so it's just a weekend to take stock".

"We've had some rain here this week, which turned to snow on the mountains. The climbs go up to 2,000m and there's really thick snow lying on the side of the roads which have been cleared."

"It's just like Christmas only warm!"

Nicole - who's not riding the French tour - rode with Joanne on the Deia-Pragma-Colnago squad in 2003.

"I spoke a lot with Joanne at Castilla y Leon" said Nicole. "I admire her a lot, she's very laid back. I'm pleased she'll be riding the Tour because I know it's somehting she really wanted to focus on"

Sommariba says she will ride the Giro d'Italia as preparation. Nicole is also riding the Italian tour.