22/12/2004 Boardman consulente di Nicole Cooke che pensa al ritorno alla mtb Nicole Cooke ha chiesto aiuto a Chris Boardman. La campionessa gallese, da sempre allenata dal padre, si affiderà ai consigli dell’ex professionista britannico per migliorare alcuni aspetti della preparazione e metterà la sua grande esperienza al servizio dell’atleta della Safi-Pasta Zara-Manhattan. Nicole has been taking advice from Chris Boardman. In an on going arrangement the former Olympic Champion and Tour de France stage winner will continue to provide a different persepctive on Nicole's training regimen in the coming months. "It will be good to have someone with so much experience and knowledge to give me their input into my planning," she points out. "I've always worked out my training schedule and race preparation with my father (Tony) who'll continue to be my coach. Obviously my team in Italy have their views too." "It will be good to have a another opinion from someone who's a little removed from me. Chris will be a performance advisor, a sounding board to help agree on the best training programme." After last winters injury problems and the difficulties that presented in preparing properly for the Olympic Games and World Championships Nicole has become determined to make sure she puts in place a back up team to help her extend her impressive palmares. She's spent time this winter sports scientists and physiotherapists at the English Institute of Sport in Bath to put together an extensive off the bike training plan to complement her riding. For Boardman's part he's always been impressed by Nicole's raw talent and competitive attitude, but thinks there's more to winning than just going out and racing. "That approach doesn't get the form on the day when she needs it." is his viewpoint, "she can't just turn it on and off." "Nicole was a bit uncomfortable with it at first, with me telling her she can't do this or that." "But I'm brutally honest, and tell people what they don't want to hear. That way they either accept it or they don't, but I think they respect it." PROGETTO MUNTAIN BIKE Nicole is currently including off road sessions in her training programme with a view to entering Mountain Bike Races during 2005. "I haven't fully worked out my programme for next year yet. Road Racing will still be the main focus of course but I do want to do some off roading leading up to the Commonwealths in 2006 and beyond." she explains. "It's fun being back on my mountain bike, I really, really love it." "When I first started cycling I did mountain biking races all the way through to the world championships. The last race I had was my Gold medal in Colorado in 2001!" Nicole has also been riding on the track this winter. "Having the velodrome so close at Newport whilst I'm back in Wales has provided a different work out, and it was great to ride Revolution," she points out. "But road racing and cross country mountain biking compliment each other better from a preparation and physical point of view. Its just a case of spending some time off road." Nicole Cooke al Revoltion 6 International Track Open di Manchester (larryhickmott@britishcycling.org.uk )