The Australian to ride his last criterium in December
Australian Baden Cooke announces his retirement after fourteen years in cycling, and after winning more than fifty races throughout his career.
"After 14 years racing at the highest level, I am moving on. Having the honour of finishing my career with Australia’s first own World Tour team has been a dream. Racing surrounded by my best mates has been a phenomenal experience. I am very proud of my career and am ready for my next adventure," Cooke said.
Cooke has ridden with FJD, Saxo Bank and Orica-Greenedge, and his speed and endurance has provided him with numerous of cycling’s prizes. He has won classics such as the Dwars door Vlaanderen, stages in the Tour Méditerranéen, the Tour Down Under, Three Days of De Panne and in the Tour de France; where he in 2003 also won the green jersey.
"I feel blessed having had the life and career that I always dreamed of having since I was a little boy starting out at Benalla Cycling club with a BMX and a stack hat," Cooke added.
"All I ever wanted in life was to race bikes professionally. I never thought I would have so much success and win the races that I did. I am retiring from racing at a professional level but I will continue to train and don’t be surprised to see me pop up at a local race."
In recent years he has been a fundamental component in Orica-Greenedge’s well-oiled machinery, and his experience has served the Australian team well.
He will ride a farewell criterium in his hometown of Melbourne in December at the Logie-Smith Lanyon SKCC Super Criterium, where he will be accompanied by a number of his Greenedge teammates.
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