Newsgroup: it.sport.ciclismo
Titolo: Sports Personality of the Year - Personality

http://www.veloriders.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=47592
"Nicole wont win because........." As the granny on Catherine Tate would 
say - "what a bunch of sissies".
No one wins all the time, but whatever the odds, you get stuck in there 
and do your damnedest.
The Aussies were so pleased to beat her in Melbourne that all 6 of them 
gate crashed the medal ceremony and jumped on the top podium. They were 
living with the memory that they placed 4 in the last 15 break at 
Manchester and alone she beat them. With one lap to go, did Nicole think 
"stuff it there are loads of Aussies/Canadians/Kiwis here, so I will let 
them push me over." Liv Golan was probably their best Aussie rider for 
the course and she had a single task, do not move away from Nicole's 
rear wheel all race. When there are 6 of them and they sacrifice their 
best rider to neutralise your do you roll over? You do your damnedest.
Cycling is riddled with *CENSORED*.The riders on *CENSORED* -what to do? 
Nice to see Jeanson is likely to make an early return. There was the 
factually recorded events of the Canadian doctor testifying to his 
professional tribunal about supplying her with EPO and then his sudden 
change of story once the transcript of the tribunal was leaked to the 
Canadian press. Is she on *CENSORED*? Well not until she is caught and 
even then our "determined" leaders might change their minds. Even if 
they are on *CENSORED*, do you say, I cannot compete so let them win? No 
you stay clean, stick to your principles and you do your damnedest. 
Stuff the cheats, they can live out a miserable old age, trying to 
convince people "I just had to do it - they made me".
Nicole has lost races she should have won. It happens, but she has also 
snatched many a victory from unpromising circumstances.
Boxing is a tough sport - no question. Nicole started the year with a 
broken collar bone. After the crash at Manchester she had got back on 
her bike and finished the qualifier. She won the World Cup. In round two 
- Feb, just coming back to form after the collar bone, she led the 
peloton round a corner. There was a trade van parked smack bang in the 
middle of the course. A Scottish couple on holiday filming the race, 
sent us their holiday video of it when they returned. The marshal was 
having a nice conversation with the driver trying to ask him, ever so 
nicely, to get out of the way. Bit too late. Frame sheared off at the 
Headset. Helmet smashed and a jersey so shredded, the kids at school, 
when I took it in, could not believe she was riding again 7 days later. 
Nil points that race and not the best of preps for the CG R.R. in 3 
weeks time. I can't win it ? No. You get stuck in and do your damnedest.
A couple more smashes this year, a couple more broken helmets. Talking 
to Nicole about her Ventoux ride, it must have been great, climbing 
alone, I can only dream. "Oh no dad, the best bit, was the descent, on 
my own, motorbike outriders, and knowing there would be no cars, so I 
could give it everything." She put minutes into the chasers on the 
descent. Not quite what I would have done, but what do I know ?
Only once did I ever go to see her play netball for her school. One of 
my most favourite pictures is of her the day after the match. Last match 
of the season, "dad, you have never come. We have won every single 
match, best team the school ever had." And she was Captain, season long. 
So I went. Saw the match. I was the "rubbish" dad, there a bit late, 
missed the first few minutes. Nicole didn't look so sparky, but did the 
business, Goal Keeper. Nothing scored against her. She went back into 
class and came home at the end of the day. At tea time she could not 
hold her knife. Her arm hurt. Quite a serious break. In plaster for 
several weeks. She did it in the first few minutes of the match, but did 
not want to let the other team know or her teacher, she might have been 
taken off and anyway, did they score dad ?" "Well er no" - "so there we 
are dad, I was right to stay on". Yes Boxing is a tough sport. Cycling 
is for Lycra clad softies - that is what the public think - if you let 
them.
In the UK our views of her are with a GB or Welsh jersey on. On these 
occasions, the cards are seriously stacked against her. BC have managed 
to learn the words to the support song, the actions are on another sheet 
they still have not totally seen. A few are learned. But just look at 
their web site. For the first time in two generations our Federation has 
the chance to push a cyclist into the media spotlight and what do they 
do? Run the story down amongst the also rans, Northern rock festival set 
for Newcastle etc. Where was Nicole's Tour win in the summer? A similar 
"also ran". For BC website, exchange to Cycling Weekly. That is the way 
it is, the antipathy is raw. Do you let it get to you or do you say, so 
what, I am going to do my damnedest ?
I admire Beth Tweedle, she has won a single event, of several, at the 
World Championship, something that no other Brit has ever got near. She 
is the best gymnast this country has ever produced. She is World Class 
and a determined winner. She is not the Worlds best single gymnast, 
otherwise she would have won the overall. She is not part of the 
strongest team, because team GB would have won the team competition. 
Nicole is not part of the strongest National team. She is however, World 
number one and she won the World Cup starting late and finishing early. 
She is the youngest ever winner of the Giro in the fastest ever average 
time. She was the youngest ever winner of the World Cup. She is not 
World Class, she is the standard the rest of the World judge their 
performances against.
The kindest words said at Melbourne? Those of the Aussie coach to the 
press about Nicole's performance when NZ/AU/CAN/ENG all had 6 riders and 
all had as number 1 on their "to mark list - N.Cooke WAL". He said the 
words as he watched his 6 riders on the podium celebrating their 
victory. "that was a breathtakingly fantastic performance by Nicole 
Cooke" because when the pressure was on and the cards were stacked 
against her, she, unlike our overpaid cricketers and footballers, did 
not wilt in the final stages.Instead she went down fighting.
So, we can guess the result of the SPOTY and think how hard done by we 
are, or we can recognise ours is the "King of Sports", be proud and let 
everyone know about it. Ring your friends and relatives. Tell your mates 
at work. Get them to vote on the night. Get them to text and call and go 
on the internet. Ring into chat shows and tell them why cycling is such 
a fantastic sport and how we have a Brit who is World number one. Each 
person has three ways to vote. Get them to tell their friends. I for one 
am totally shocked she has even made the top 10. When will we have 
another chance to get a cyclist in the spotlight ? Let us give it our 
damnedest. And Brain, we all know your heart and motives are beyond 
reproach, please can you sort out the BC web site. This is one chance to 
put Cycling right there - centre stage ! Tony Cooke
-- 
http://modesta.biciticino.ch
Il sito dedicato alla giovane ciclista lituana Modesta Vzesniauskaite

 best rider to neutralise your do you roll over? You do your damnedest.
The problem with Cooke is she doesn't seem to have the camera presence other
girls have. She not only stormed off the stage during the worlds when
Reginia won, which doesn't help, but other times she doesn't seem to know
how to act on stage, as many photos I have seen, she displays google faces,
which doesn't lend itself to camera presence. I see this guy mentioned
something positive about Jeanson, but awhile back, I believe Cooke had said
negative things about Jeanson and her possible ban. This squeeky clean,
whiter then snow image doesn't bode well, as it goes to those without sin
casting the first stone, also I remember some of the problems with the
Italian women at the Giro, and things she has said about Italian cycling
doesn't make me run to her as a fan.
B-

 B-
Really though, to play the thoughtful critic, Cooke has repeatedly failed to
win two of her biggest goals time and time again, the worlds and the games.
She chokes every time, but perhaps next year will be different for the
worlds, and she should have at least another shot at the games in her
career.
B-