Nicole Cooke, Cycling Role Model ?

[landsurfer]

Or .. Out of touch with modern / current women cycling scene and British Cycling support for Women .... discuss ..

[Spinners]

To paraphrase the wise words of Eric Morecombe, "I like her".

[pjclinch]

Or .. Out of touch with modern / current women cycling scene and British Cycling support for Women .... discuss ..

That BC support for women is almost certainly better than it was is not the same as it being as good as for the men, and that the road racing environment is sexist well beyond the boundaries of BC also doesn't absolve them of their shortcomings. Cooke is a credible witness: she got to the top and has nothing much to gain personally from saying what she does. I would suggest that when top-drawer cyclists like Cooke and Pooley are scathingly outspoken and are widely dismissed as whiners that could well be an indication of the extent of the problem more than that they're prone to having a whinge.

Pete.

[reohn2]

Or .. Out of touch with modern / current women cycling scene and British Cycling support for Women .... discuss ..

That BC support for women is almost certainly better than it was is not the same as it being as good as for the men, and that the road racing environment is sexist well beyond the boundaries of BC also doesn't absolve them of their shortcomings. Cooke is a credible witness: she got to the top and has nothing much to gain personally from saying what she does. I would suggest that when top-drawer cyclists like Cooke and Pooley are scathingly outspoken and are widely dismissed as whiners that could well be an indication of the extent of the problem more than that they're prone to having a whinge.

Pete.

+1

[landsurfer]

Do we think then that Cooke and Pooley (for example) where successful in spite of BC not as a result of support provided by BC ?

[reohn2]

Do we think then that Cooke and Pooley (for example) where successful in spite of BC not as a result of support provided by BC ?

Or could they have been better athletes with better support from BC?

[landsurfer]

Do we think then that Cooke and Pooley (for example) where successful in spite of BC not as a result of support provided by BC ?

Or could they have been better athletes with better support from BC?

BETTER !..... Than Commonwealth, Olympic and World road race champion .... What .... champion of Mars !!??

[pjclinch]

Do we think then that Cooke and Pooley (for example) where successful in spite of BC not as a result of support provided by BC ?

Or could they have been better athletes with better support from BC?

BETTER !..... Than Commonwealth, Olympic and World road race champion .... What .... champion of Mars !!??

Nicole Cooke was surely an amazing champion, but there's always room for better. Name any cyclist who couldn't have won more than they did.

The impression I've picked up over the years is BC did a lot short of what might reasonably have been expected of them where the women's road programme has been concerned.

BC have just hired an image management firm, expecting a credibility crisis. They are, perhaps, not entirely the most reliable source of what's been going down. If only a tenth of what Cooke describes is true that's still, frankly, pretty damning.

Pete.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
I have supplied a link which is what I think we are talking about?

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/ ... ccountable

"When asked whether she found Team Sky’s claims that they are running the cleanest team in cycling credible, Cooke was blunt. “No,” she replied firmly. “I think the stance of being the ‘cleanest’ team and yet the team principal Sir Dave Brailsford not knowing what the riders were treated with, definitely makes it hard to back up that claim.”

That was a reference to British Cycling and Team Sky failing to definitely answer what was in the jiffy bag delivered by the British Cycling coach Simon Cope to Team Sky in 2011. As Cooke put it: “I find it very surprising that if Cope is transporting something internationally by aeroplane, he didn’t know what he was transporting. I find that astonishing. And the fact that British Cycling, when asked for the records of something they had stored apparently within their building, weren’t able to acquire the documentation – I find that surprising too.”

[reohn2]

Nicole Cooke was surely an amazing champion, but there's always room for better. Name any cyclist who couldn't have won more than they did.

The impression I've picked up over the years is BC did a lot short of what might reasonably have been expected of them where the women's road programme has been concerned.

BC have just hired an image management firm, expecting a credibility crisis. They are, perhaps, not entirely the most reliable source of what's been going down. If only a tenth of what Cooke describes is true that's still, frankly, pretty damning.

Pete.

Thanks Pete,saved a bit of typing did that

[Cyril Haearn]

Beryl Burton forever!

[landsurfer]

Beryl Burton forever!

+1

Beryl did us all proud .... Shame she is not better known amongst modern cyclists .....

[reohn2]

Beryl Burton forever!

+1

Beryl did us all proud .... Shame she is not better known amongst modern cyclists .....

Whilst I agree she's a bit like asking modern cyclists if they know who Reg Harris was or Tommy Simpson you'd get mostly blank looks from anyone under 35.
They're people of their time,it's a different world and sadly for most people history is too dusty to bother with .

[landsurfer]

History has no place compared to the pursuit of the latest phone or plastic fantastic bicycle .....
And when did we stop being "cyclists" and become "bike riders" ....("Bike" channel coverage of the tour down under).
Rode past the Tommy Simpson memorial on Sunday, .... I know he was a volunteer not a victim, (well possibly of the system ) .. but my generation is more in touch with Alf Engers and John Woodburn...or even John Pritchard.

[reohn2]

History has no place compared to the pursuit of the latest phone or plastic fantastic bicycle .....
And when did we stop being "cyclists" and become "bike riders" ....("Bike" channel coverage of the tour down under).
Rode past the Tommy Simpson memorial on Sunday, .... I know he was a volunteer not a victim, (well possibly of the system ) .. but my generation is more in touch with Alf Engers and John Woodburn...or even John Pritchard.

Ian Hibell or Wayfarer for me