 Cooke has been in dominant form |
World number one Nicole Cooke continued her impressive start to the season with victory in the 120km Trofeo Alfredo Binda in Cittiglio, Italy, on Sunday. Cooke overcame stubborn resistance from last year's winner, Italian Fabiana Luperini, on the final climb of the day to drop her and win by over 30 seconds.
The Welsh star was quick to praise her Raleigh Lifeforce Creation team-mates.
"This was another solid performance from the whole team and I am delighted I can reward their efforts," she said.
"Their performance was outstanding. Throughout the race they set things up perfectly, forcing all the other teams to have to counter our moves whilst I was able to wait for the final stages of the race. I cannot praise them enough. "
Cooke completed the 120km in three hours, 15 minutes and 16 seconds, 31 seconds ahead of Italians Georgia Bronzini and Martina Corazza.
A week after her dominant victory in the 102km Costa Etrusca race in Italy, it was a further confidence-booster for Cooke ahead of the second round of the World Cup in Belgium next Sunday.
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