2008 UCI Road Cycling World Championships - Women's Road Race (Nicole Cooke)

Great Britain's Nicole Cooke wins the Women's Road Race at the 2008 UCI Road Cycling World Championships held in Varese, Italy. Marianne Vos of the Netherlands wins the silver medal and Germany's Judith Arndt takes the bronze.

[@NOELTM]

Just to give this some context ... Nicole Cooke recorded the first British Olympic gold medal (2008 Women's Road Race) in any cycling discipline for a female and also the first ever Gold Medal won in any road discipline by a British rider, irrespective of sex. On the previous day none of the four British men entered in the 2008 Olympic Individual Road Race finished the race. This was also the first ever Olympic Gold Medal won by a Welsh woman in an individual Olympic event. In winning the 2008 World Championship, Nicole became the first cyclist, male or female, of any nation, to become the road race World Champion and Olympic gold medalist in the same year - and what a way to do it!!!

[@handlebard]

In terms of pure racing the last few km remains the best battle between 5 riders - men or women I have seen in the last 10 years

[@judosteffer]

I think it's still the best!

[@thesoultwins3571]

I was lucky (and privileged) enough to be there - in Varese - to see Nicole Cooke's brilliant win. The Women's race run off in cool, cloudy conditions on the Saturday was a much more exciting, thrilling event than the men's race (won by Italy's Alexandro Ballan) the following Day, even though the weather had improved greatly by that time. Nicole Cooke was a very worthy winner and a true 'champion'!

[@cyclingwatercolours]

TheSoulTwins I was there also, at 1km to go, this is one of my all time favourite races, Nicole is one of my favourite riders...

[@thesoultwins72]

@@cyclingwatercolours ……..Spot on mate! Brilliant race and Nicole was superb! Had a fantastic time there - a few days before the races, we were driving around the lovely Lombardy countryside and came across a large bunch of riders. As we passed them we discovered that it was the entire Spanish men's and ladies teams [including Contador, Valverde, Sammy Sanchez, Joaquim Rodriguez etc]. Cruising along at the back was non-other than Claudio Chiappucci - looking as cool as always!

[@stuturner3037]

Beautiful win by a beautiful rider!! I never tire of watching this x

[@noelarmstrong1917]

Fantastic race, the women commentator was clueless, Nicole was pure class, one of the best race finishes I have ever seen.

[@santiagobenites]

Now THAT was a sprint! Such an exciting finale, and the best Team GB kit ever!

[@keysersoze4322]

Nicole Cooke was tremendously good rider. The best. Not even Marianne Vos could take her then.

[@Farmlandsfallfan]

Great race, great commentary by David Harmon, great victory by Nicole what a fantastic rider.

[@stevenmanns248]

Nicole Cooke, what a absolutely fantastic racer and human being. The WC WCPP need to hang thier heads in shame the way they treated her.

[@here.3070]

so do the commentators in this race....both calling openly for Johanssen

[@rupertrivett4752]

TOTALLY AWESOME

[@Tarmaccyclocross]

Vos would have won that easily if she hadn’t buried herself chasing down attacks

[@OldChannel2023]

Lmao her father is my science teacher

[@rc_hawk1519]

Efigr not yours, but mine

[@OldChannel2023]

m8 he used to be ok? I still see him nowadays boy

[@here.3070]

I was thoroughly ashamed and disgusted to hear two English commentators shounting for Johannsen instead of the Welsh girl....Cymru Am Byth, Da Iawn Nicole!!!