We have to say that this was one of the most exciting races of 2006 and certainly the finest Women's Worlds race ever. Better still was the BBCi coverage and it was great to be able to watch the whole race live, for free.
Nicole Cooke was incredible. OK she didn't win, but she showed that she was head and shoulders stronger than the rest of the World in the Women's road race on Saturday. Only team dominance stood between her and certain victory. It was an impossible battle for the Welsh World Cup winner. Rather than wait for help from other teams, Cooke was the one who made this race, she was involved in all the decisive moves later in the day and rode a faultless first half of the race.
Time after time she chased breaks and it looked as if she had made the selection on the final ascent of the 17% hill - rocking all over the bike and staying glued to Vos and Brandli. If it wasn't for the fact that the Swiss rider refused to pull, this move may have stuck and given her a better chance. So the remaining re-group of the strongest riders on the descent made the final selection and this is when Cooke made her only mistake, getting boxed and entering the home straight way down, giving herself an impossible sprint to victory.
When you realise what Cooke is up against it must be frustrating for her. The final selection contained several well represented teams all capable of riding away, so she is always isolated and has to do it the hard way. It's hard to criticise the team, especially when they try their best, but we are simply too weak on the road to offer Cooke any support, when it matters.
The truth is she isn't likely to win a rainbow jersey until we have at least two more riders who can make the selection with her. That's the harsh reality of women's racing at this level and something that BC are going to have to do something about. What's good is that Cooke is only 23, so time is on her side. But then again Marianne Vos is only 19 and she already has two Rainbow jerseys...
Results - Women's road race - 132.6km
1. Marianne Vos (Netherlands) 3.20.26 (39.783 km/h)
2. Trixi Worrack (Germany)
3. Nicole Cooke (Great Britain)
4. Noemi Cantele (Italy)
5. Priska Doppmann (Switzerland)
6. Oenone Wood (Australia)
7. Annette Beutler (Switzerland)
8. Nicole Brändli (Switzerland)
9. Svetlana Bubnenkova-Stolbova (Russian Federation)
10. Andrea Graus (Austria)
Vicky Ware
