 | COOKE FACTFILE DOB: 12/10/1978 Nationality: Australia Best Tour: 2003 - Green jersey winner |
Baden Cooke was the model of consistency when it came to the sprints last year and was duly rewarded with the green jersey. Winning upset the established order of Erik Zabel, Robbie McEwen and Stuart O'Grady, who had been tipped to battle it out for the points prize.
As it was only McEwen came close to catching him.
The sprint for the green jersey came down to a thrilling final stage and a tyre width.
Cooke finished stage 20 second, to McEwen's third, thus finishing with 216 points to his rival's 214.
It seemed only fair for Cooke, who also won stage two, and was there or thereabouts for the sprints throughout the race.
Aside from the sprints, he looks unlikely to make any major waves. He was 127th in 2002, three hours behind Lance Armstrong's winning time and managed an even worse 140th last year.
Cooke's French outing was the climax to a strong season for the up-and-coming rider.
Already this season he looks more assured in the peloton and has picked up some sprint wins to match that.
He won the season-opening Grand Prix d'Ouverture and sealed two stage wins on the Tour of the Mediterranean, as well as picking up one on the Tour Down Under before eventually finishing third overall.
This time, though, the pressure will be on as the green-jersey wearer and the sprinters' marked man.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
