2008 Olympic and World Champion Nicole Cooke on the podium in Monzambano after winning the Giro del Trentino in 2009. (Image credit: Women's Giro Del Trentino)
Olympic champion Nicole Cooke has chosen to ride the season with the British National Team after her trade team, the former Equipe Nürnberger, lost its title sponsor. The team is continuing as Team Noris, but is still seeking sponsorship to fund the team for the season.
On the British team's website, britishcycling.org.uk, Cooke said she was excited about her new course, which allows her to work with developing riders toward her home Olympic Games in 2012.
"GB is a fantastic environment to be setting myself up in. We're working together now and have started the build up to London 2012 and I'm very exciting about this new path ahead and the momentum which is building.
"Within GB, I know all my teammates, the staff and to race with the Academy riders, who are developing into future champions themselves, is a challenge in itself where I'll be in a position to help them on their way. This brings with it different goals and responsibilities compared to riding in a professional team and adds a very inspiring dimension to the season ahead."
After a winter trip to Australia, Cooke is now swapping time in Switzerland and Tuscany for training in advance of the team's first camp in Mallorca on March 3. She has her schedule planned out for the Spring, and is working with team manager Simon Cope on her calendar ahead of the Worlds in Melbourne in October.
"It looks like a nice plan with many of the races already in place for the academy riders balanced out with higher level races like the Worlds Cups which is great for me".
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