UCI Road World Cup 2006

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Cooke defends Fleche title

Ina Yoko-Teutenberg retains World Cup lead by 3 points

Wednesday 19 April 2006, 106km 

Race Website

Nicole Cooke (Univega) powered her way to her third win in the Flèche Wallone Femmes.

The 9^th edition of the Flèche Wallone Femmes, started with 25 teams and 146 competitors from all over the world, but didn’t warm up until just over half way. It contained 5 gruelling climbs that averaged 9.3% however at times the gradient increased to 19%. The peleton managed to stay together until 10km when several riders were dropped. According to some riders it was too quiet for the first kms with all of the teams sharing the load at the front and all of the pressure in the last 40km. Always evident at the front, were the teams of T-Mobile, Nürnberger Versicherung, Buitenpoort-Flexpoint, the German National Team, AA-Drink and Nobili Rubinetterie.

At the top of the first climb, Brodtka (AA Drink) led the peleton ahead of Rodriguez Gomez (ESP) and the reigning World Cup leader, Teutenberg (T-Mobile). Marina Jaunâtre (FUT) was the first to launch a significant attack. She began her move just after the Côte de Pailhe and stayed away on her own until 43km.

In the first metres of the Côte de Hautebisse, a number of riders were dropped. Meanwhile, Bubnenkova (FEN) led the bunch with a slight advantage over her team-mate Zabelinskaya and Zabirova (BCT). However at the summit the bunch was still together. At 65km, on a descent, Zabelinskaya launched an attack which prompted a big reaction and caused the bunch to split into many little groups

When climbing the first metres of the Côte de Bohisseau, Zabelinskaya increased her advantage. At the top, the gap was 40’’. Rasmussen (ALI) and Haüssler (NUR) were the first to respond and they pulled the Russian back to 25’’ at 81km. Only 47 riders made up the chasing group the top teams worked hard to grow this group to 62.

As the peleton approached the Côte de Ahin there were about 60 riders 35’’ behind Zabelinskaya but this dropped rapidly and she was caught just before the summit. Cooke (UPT), Wood (NUR), Brändli (BCT) et Zabirova (BCT) tried to split the bunch with several strong attacks. Their aggression split the group to just 28 riders on the approach to the Mur de Huy.

As they reached the 1km to go sign Theresa Senff (AA Drink) attacked. The bunch struggled to stay with her turn of pace forcing it to spread out over the next 300m. Nürnberger Versicherung had covered moves throughout the race for either Trixi Worrack or Oenone Wood. It was Wood that managed to increase her speed first, with her signature kick, passing Sneff on the right.

The Univega team had worked hard to protect Cooke all race, to ensure that she had the opportunity to win, and she did not disappoint her team.  Cooke reacted to Wood and passed Senff on her left and she reeled in Wood within the last 400m. Cooke and Wood, who were first and second in the same race in 2005, showed their dominance and skill on the climb. They kept tempo through the difficult and very steep sections but Wood was the first to crack. She could not hold the pace of Cooke and slowed slightly on the final section of the climb. This allowed a late charge by Judith Arndt (T-Mobile) and Trixi Worrack (Wood’s team-mate) to come through to take second and third. Wood managed to hold on for fourth.

Nicole Cooke was completely exhausted after her win, collapsing to the floor. “Thank you for cheering” Cooke said to the supporters lining the road as she finished. Talking to reporters after the race, Cooke was explaining her race approach. “I was challenging for a podium but you can never be sure. I was a bit concerned when Zabelinskaya broke away but my team worked so hard for me they are incredible.

Asked how she felt coming up the last 100m Cooke added “I switched off my pain sensors to 'indestructable', it was so painful. Even though it is 1km it is very long because it is so steep, so right from the bottom I paced myself I went at my maximum. First of all, Senff attacked hard and went into the lead. I thought, if she is strong then that is it. As we went through the hairpins, Wood and I overtook Senff. Wood took the lead, she went very strong. I thought that if she is stronger than me then I can’t do anything about it. If I had gone hard at that point I would have blown. I went at my own pace and over took Wood at the 100m mark. I managed to go up a gear and go faster her, maybe my experience of this climb worked for me today.”

Cooke was enthused about the team performance and how hard the team worked today. “We have a team for all races, we have developed and grown as riders and as a team. We have spent a lot of time together off the bike together we know the people not just the rider and this has helped. We have helped each other in training, we have a great team spirit.” 

Trixi Worrack worked hard to try to catch Cooke at the finish just managing to hold on for third ahead of her team mate Wood. “It feels good to finish, but it was not enough to win. I was too late in the last 100m, but it is ok I am happy. We had two that could win today so we are happy.”

Priska Doppman (Univega) was in resounding support of Cooke throughout the race. “We rode for Nicole and when she was up there I had done my job. We are happy it was our goal to help
Nicole win today, she said she was strong and we support that by closing down a lot of the breaks. I am so happy.”

Oenone Wood’s reaction to her ride, “In the last 20k there a lot of attacks that we closed down. I think that in the finish I came a little bit short. I went early to try to get the win. I just didn’t have quite enough at the finish. I didn’t have any more to give.”

Natalie Bates “I was in the third group over the last climb. I ran out of legs, I was not able to help out on the last climb for Theresa Senff. The last climb is a one speed climbs you can’t go any faster and if you go slower you stop. It is a pretty tough race, you get to the climb and you are not fresh, so it is really hard, the last 200m takes forever.”

Oliva Gollan riding the race for the fourth time was in trouble over the last 1km. “You think the race is nearly over when you see the 500m to go sign and you think ‘this is fine’ and then its full pain and you get to the 300m and the pain is sickening. You think wow I am going to be top 10 and then suddenly you are way back. I have seen Nicole and Oenone attack like they did, three times before where they just gap the filed and they are just awesome. They have the biggest natural talent I have ever seen in this sport.” Asked what gear she was using, Gollan added “I was in a 27, but I think that I stayed in it too long, you needed that extra bit of a kick as you go over the climbs that a 26 gives you. I was really nervous before the race, I wanted to do really well and you put real pressure on yourself.”

Kathy Watt struggled in the early part of the race then seemed to find her legs in the latter part to finish 44^th, 2 minutes 31 seconds behind the winner. “I didn’t have good legs in the start but they got better. I have never done this ride before. I lost them on the decent after the last climb but I caught the back of the convoy. The climbing suits me, its all about power to weight ratios.”

Watt is based in Belgium with her team asked how this is going she added “training is hard as the roads are busy, the only place you can train is bike paths.”