Nicole Cooke repaid Halfords decision to step in and save the Ras de Cymru stage race when she became the highest placed female rider in a unique event that sees men and women compete against each other.
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| Cooke with team mates Emma Trott and Joanne Rowsell during the TTT (Photo: Dave O’Nyons, British Cycling). |
Cooke finished in 10th place overall in the five day race which covers over 260 miles of the Welsh Valleys and Brecon Beacons. Her Halfords Bikehut team mate Jessica Allen also finished in the top twenty.Halfords Bikehut had stepped in to save the event after the original title sponsors pulled out at short notice. South Wales is home to both Cooke and Allen and many of their Halfords team mates are also based in the area. With team sponsor Halfords backing the race it became their home race in more ways than one.
Halfords had entered two separate teams of three in the race, one led by Nicole Cooke and a second, led by guest rider Emma Pooley, racing as Great Britain. One Halfords rider who did not make the start line was Sharon Laws, currently recovering after crashing during a training ride, but who is scheduled to join Cooke and Pooley in the Great Britain squad for the Olympics in Beijing.
Cooke and Pooley both finished in the top ten in the opening individual time trial and Cooke and Allen also placed well in the first road stage, although Pooley was unfortunate to puncture.
An impressive second and third in the team time trial ensured that Cooke and Allen remained in the top ten overall as the race entered three hard days in the hills.
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| Cooke shows off her winner’s jersey (Photo: Dave O’Nyons, British Cycling) |
Another impressive ride by Pooley on the last day gave her a mountain-top stage win over a minute and a half clear of the next rider and a final overall position of 30th , taking her to 3rd in the women’s competition. Cooke’s 4th place on the day secured her top spot.
Halfords Bikehut team manger Julian Winn, who will also look after the Great Britain women’s road team in Beijing, was pleased with the performance of all the riders.
“This has been an excellent race for us on many levels, and it’s fantastic that Halfords felt able to step in and keep it going.
“Nicole rode well, getting an excellent result and putting the finishing touches to her endurance work before Beijing. Although she and Emma were riding for different teams it was clear that they will compliment each other well in the Olympic road race.
“All of the girls rode well, especially the younger ones, and they will have laid a good foundation for riding the Tour de Bretagne in the next few weeks.”