Cooke has won La Fleche Wallonne three times

Nicole Cooke finished eighth in the Fleche Wallonne in Belgium, but was afterwards upbeat about the race's part in her Olympics preparation.

Cooke, riding as part of a GB team, came in 17 seconds behind the winner, Dutch rider Marianne Vos.

Joined by Emma Pooley and Sharon Laws, the race previewed what may be the women's GB road team in Beijing.

"When people talk of the big teams dominating a race, they can now add GB to that list," said Cooke.

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Team Halfords-Bikehut riders Jess Allen and Catherine Hare completed the five-strong GB squad, but it was Pooley and Laws who delivered Cooke to the foot of the final climb, the Mur de Huy.

Although unable to hold off the group containing Vos, Cooke was pleased with the performance of the team.

"We had fantastic team work throughout the race but I still do not have that winning form just yet.

"Each race is getting better and I'm looking forward to my first win.

"It is the first race where GB has dictated the tactics coming into the finale and Emma and Sharon were great."

A pleased team manager, Julian Winn, put the race into perspective: "On the day her legs weren't good enough, but her aim this year is the Olympics and we aren't looking to peak this early in the season.

This was a good team performance. Nicole, Emma and Sharon worked well together throughout the race. GB Team Manager Julian Winn

"On the evidence of today we have potentially a very strong team for Beijing."

In the men's version of the race, Luxembourg's Kim Kirchen won after passing and holding off Australian Cadel Evans and Italian Damiano Cunego.

Kirchen, 29, judged his tactics perfectly on the final climb up the Mur after a punishing 199.5km race, which finished in heavy rain.

The Team High Road rider became the first man from the Grand Duchy to win the event, now in its 72nd edition.

"I did the same as last year, only that this time I was stronger," he said.

On the approaches to the Mur, Germany's Fabian Wegmann had hit the front but Evans led the charge to rein him in on the steep gradient of up to 20%.

Evans looked favourite to win heading into the last 200m, but Kirchen, beaten to the line 12 months ago by Italian Danilo Di Luca, chose his moment to nip in for the win.

Briton David Millar finished in 50th place, 2 minutes 49 seconds back.