 Cooke led the overall race times from start to finish |
Welsh cyclist Nicole Cooke was delighted with her form in the mountain stage that secured her victory in the Grande Boucle Feminine tour in France. Cooke's solo break in the penultimate stage on Friday gave her a decisive four minutes and six seconds lead.
"We had a real monumental stage up Mont Ventoux," the 23-year-old said.
"It's definitely one of the toughest stage races I've ever ridden, we had some of the toughest climbs you're ever likely to do."
The Univega Raleigh Lifeforce rider led from the start after winning the time trial prologue, before crushing her opposition in Friday's mountain stage.
But Cooke says that the conditions were as difficult to overcome.
"Every day the temperature was at 35 degrees or more, so it wasn't just your rivals you had to contend with but the heat and the mountains," Cooke added.
Cooke now has a fortnight of rest and training before she tackles the seven stage Thuringen Rundfahrt 2006 in Gerrmany on 17 July.
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