The highs and lows of Cooke, Flecha, Pinotti, O'Grady, Zabriskie and more
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Juan Antonio Flecha was a perennial in the cobbled Classics. The Spaniard is pictured in action on Muur during the Tour of Flanders(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
A beaming Nicole Cooke and her Olympic Games gold medal(Image credit: AFP)
David Zabriskie en route to a bronze medal at the 2008 time trial world championship (won by Bert Grabsch)(Image credit: AFP)
Captain America David Zabriskie in action during a time trial at the 2012 Tour de France(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
A mustachioed David Zabriskie rides along side teammate a maglia rosa-clad Christian Vande Velde at the 2008 Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
David Zabriskie won the prologue and earned the leader's jersey at the 2012 Tour de Langkawi(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
David Zabriskie, in the leader's yellow jersey at the 2005 Tour de France, has a chat with compatriot Floyd Landis(Image credit: AFP)
The one and only David Zabriskie(Image credit: AFP)
David Veilleux amidst family and friends following Friday's Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec(Image credit: Peter Hymas)
Marco Pinotti won the general classification at the 2008 Tour of Ireland(Image credit: Stephen McCarthy / SPORTSFILE)
Stuart O'Grady, resplendent in the yellow jersey at the 1998 Tour de France, shares a moment with fellow Aussie Neil Stephens.(Image credit: AFP)
Stuart O'Grady was also a force to be reckoned with on the track. Here O'Grady, left, partnered with Graeme Brown to win the gold medal in the 2004 Olympic Games Madison event.(Image credit: AFP)
Stuart O'Grady wins stage 5 of the 2004 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
Stuart O'Grady in his Australian road champion's kit at the 2003 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
Stuart O'Grady en route to a solo victory at the 2007 Paris-Roubaix(Image credit: AFP)
Stuart O'Grady in the leader's yellow jersey at the 2001 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
Credit Agricole won the team time trial stage at the 2001 Tour de France with Stuart O'Grady resplendent in the yellow jersey(Image credit: AFP)
Stuart O'Grady, left, wins stage 14 of the 1998 Tour de France ahead of Giuseppe Calcaterra(Image credit: AFP)
Stuart O'Grady rode his final Tour de France in 2013 as part of the Australian WorldTour squad Orica-GreenEdge. O'Grady sets tempo at the head of the peloton while compatriot Simon Gerrans holds the yellow jersey(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Denis Menchov won the 2004 edition of the Tour of the Basque country ahead of Iban Mayo, left, and David Etxebarria, right(Image credit: AFP)
Denis Menchov won the best young rider's classification at the 2003 Tour de France and is on the podium to receive his final white jersey(Image credit: AFP)
Denis Menchov won the 2007 Vuelta a Espana and is joined on the final podium by runner-up Carlos Sastre, left, and third-placed Samuel Sanchez, right(Image credit: AFP)
Denis Menchov wins stage 2 of the 2002 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré on top of Mont Ventoux(Image credit: AFP)
Denis Menchov finished the 2005 Vuelta a Espana in 2nd place but was named the winner after Roberto Heras was stripped of his title due to a doping violation(Image credit: AFP)
The final victory of Denis Menchov's career took place in stage 20 of the 2012 Vuelta a Espana(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Denis Menchov, right, on the 2010 final Tour de France podium with Andy Schleck, left, and Alberto Contador. After Contador was stripped of his title due to doping, Menchov would move up to 2nd overall on GC.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Marco Pinotti was a six-time Italian time trial champion during his professional career(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Marco Pinotti won stage 5 in a heavy downpour at the 2009 Tour of the Basque Country(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
In 2013 David Veilleux fulfilled a dream of competing at and finishing the Tour de France. Here he leads the early breakaway during stage 2(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
A beaming David Veilleux (Europcar) in the leader's jersey at the 2013 Critérium du Dauphiné(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
David Veilleux (Europcar) earned the biggest victory of his career as he soloed away to win the opening stage of the 2013 Critérium du Dauphiné(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Christian Vande Velde is all smiles as he wears the maglia rosa during stage 2 at the 2008 Giro d'italia(Image credit: Sirotti)
A career highlight for Christian Vande Velde was earning the maglia rosa after his team prevailed in the opening stage team time trial at the 2008 Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Sirotti)
Christian Vande Velde (Garmin-Slipstream) soloed to victory in stage 4 of the 2009 Paris-Nice(Image credit: Sirotti)
Christian Vande Velde in action during stage 9 the 2008 Tour de France where he would ultimately place a career best 4th overall(Image credit: Sirotti)
Christian Vande Velde has a strong track background and is pictured here in the individual pursuit at the 2000 Olympic Games(Image credit: AFP)
Stage 15 of the 2012 Tour de France came down to a two-man duel between Christian Vande Velde and Pierrick Fedrigo, with the Frenchman coming out on top for the win.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Christian Vande Velde was part of the Garmin team which won the stage 2 team time trial at the 2011 Tour de France which put teammate Thor Hushovd into the yellow jersey(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Christian Vande Velde won the 2012 USA Pro Challenge general classification, the final victory of the American's career.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Ina-Yoko Teutenberg was a five-time winner of Philadelphia's Liberty Classic. She's pictured his at the 2012 edition where she outsprinted world champion Giorgia Bronzini and Rochelle Gilmore for the victory(Image credit: Marco Quezada/nyvelocity.com)
Ina-Yoko Teutenberg won the bronze medal at the 2011 road race world championship behind winner Giorgia Bronzini and runner-up Marianne Vos(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
In a driving rainstorm, Ina-Yoko Teutenberg takes the field sprint for 4th place at the 2012 Olympic Games road race in London(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Ina-Yoko Teutenberg was prolific winner throughout her career. Here the German championi wins stage 3 of the 2012 Energiewacht Tour (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Marco Pinotti (BMC) won the final stage time trial at the 2012 Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
It doesn't get much better than this for an Italian pro cyclist. Marco Pinotti earned the Giro d'Italia leader's jersey after his team prevailed in the opening stage team trial at the 2011 edition of the Italian Grand Tour(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Denis Menchov suffered a dramatic crash in the 2009 Giro's final stage time trial, but thanks to a very quick bike change the Russian successfully defended the pink jersey(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Juan Antonio Flecha pushes the pace in the 2005 Paris-Roubaix ahead of eventual winner Tom Boonen and runner-up George Hincapie. Flecha placed third that year and would finish on the Paris-Roubaix podium three times(Image credit: AFP)
While Johnny Hoogerland is remembered for landing on the barbed-wire fence after being taken out by a media car at the 2011 Tour de France, Juan Antonio Flecha also crashed heavily in that incident during stage 9(Image credit: AFP)
Juan Antonio Flecha and his famous finish line salute as he won stage 11 of the 2003 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
World Cup leader Nicole Cooke triumphed in the 2007 Tour of Flanders(Image credit: CJ Farquharson / WomensCycling.net )
2008 Olympic Games road race podium (L-R): Emma Johansson, Nicolel Cooke and Tatiana Guderzo(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Nicole Cooke outsprinted Marianne Vos and Judith Arndt to win the 2008 road race world championship. With her victory Cooke became the first cyclist to win a road world championship and the Olympic road race in the same year.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
2008 was a special year for Nicole Cooke as she won the road race world championship in addition to Olympic gold(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Nicole Cooke is moments away from winning the 2008 Olympic Games road race gold medal in Beijing(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
World Cup leader Nicole Cooke sprints to victory in the 2003 GP de Plouay. With her overall World Cup victory that year she became the first Briton and the youngest rider (20) to win the overall title.(Image credit: AFP)
Nicole Cooke wins stage 5 en route to overall victory at the 2003 Grande Boucle Tour de France Feminine(Image credit: AFP)
Great Britain's Nicole Cooke celebrates her victory in the 2008 Olympic Games road race ahead of Emma Johansson (Sweden) and Tatiana Guderzo (Italy)(Image credit: AFP)
Nicole Cooke won the junior women's road race world championship in 2000(Image credit: AFP)
Nicole Cooke on the top step of the podium of the 2005 Fleche Wallonne. Oenone Wood, left, finished second and Judith Arndt, right, placed third.(Image credit: AFP)
Sandy Casar wins the third Tour de France stage of his career in stage 9 of the 2010 Tour(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sandy Casar celebrates his sprint victory in stage 4 of the 2003 Tour of Switzerland(Image credit: AFP)
The last professional victory for Juan Antonio Flecha would be the 2010 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Bert Grabsch won the elite men's time trial world championship in 2008(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Denis Menchov resplendent in his national champion's kit for winning Russia's time trial title in 2012(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Andreas Klöden in his German road race champion's kit during the 2004 Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
Telekom trade teammates Alexandre Vinokourov, Jan Ullrich and Andreas Klöden swept the medals at the 2000 Olympic Games road race in Sydney, Australia(Image credit: AFP)
Andreas Klöden won the 2000 edition of Paris-Nice. Joining the German on the final podium were Francisco Mancebo, left, and Laurent Brochard.(Image credit: AFP)
No gifts for you Andreas Klöden! Lance Armstrong outsprinted the German to claim stage 17 of the 2004 Tour de France in Le Grand-Bornand(Image credit: AFP)
Andreas Klöden won stage 5 at the 2011 Paris-Nice and took over the leader's jersey. The German, winner of Paris-Nice in 2000, would ultimately finish 2nd overall(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The last stage race victory of Andreas Klöden's career would be the 2011 edition of Tour of the Basque Country(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
With his victory in stage 11 of the 2007 Tour, Robbie Hunter made history as the first South African to win a stage at the Tour de France(Image credit: AFP)
Robbie Hunter celebrates victory in stage 16 of the 2001 Vuelta a Espana(Image credit: AFP)
Robbie Hunter sprints to victory in stage 1 of the 1999 Vuelta a Espana(Image credit: AFP)
Robbie Hunter won the 2004 Tour of Qatar general classification(Image credit: AFP)
Robbie Hunter was the 2012 South African road champion(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
German time trial champion Bert Grabsch in action during a time trial in the 2012 Tour de France(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Bert Grabsch was a four-time German time trial champion. Here he shares the 2011 podium with HTC-HighRoad teammates Patrick Gretsch and Tony Martin(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Time trial world champion en route to victory during stage 4 of the 2009 Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Bert Grabsch in his time trial world championship kit(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Sandy Casar wins the 18th stage of the 2007 Tour de France ahead of Michael Boogerd.(Image credit: AFP)
Mike Creed spent his first race in the director's seat for the Smartstop team.(Image credit: Jonathan Devich/epicimages.us)
Mike Creed (Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies) and Rory Sutherland (UnitedHealthcare) edge ahead(Image credit: Jonathan Devich)
Mike Creed will have to watch the team race for the rest of the season after breaking his collarbone in Schaal Sels(Image credit: Sam Wiebe)
Michael Creed salutes the crowd atop Fillmore Street at the 2005 Barclay's Global Investors Grand Prix in San Francisco.(Image credit: Lane Occhiello)
With another road season in the books it's time to look back at the riders who called it a career in 2013.
The year kicked off with Nicole Cookeannouncing her immediate retirement from cycling in January. In her farewell press conference the 29-year-old spoke of winning "every race and more that I dreamt I could win" and looking back at her career that's indeed the case. In 2008 Cooke achieved arguably her greatest accomplishment as she became the only cyclist to win both Olympic gold and the rainbow jersey in the same year on the road but she was a prolific winner throughout her years who could win both stage races and one-day events on any terrain.
Cooke was a three time La Flèche Wallonne Féminine winner (2003, 2005, 2006), a champion at Amstel Gold (2003) and Tour of Flanders (2007), and won the overall World Cup twice (2003, 2006). She twice won the Grande Boucle Tour de France Feminine stage race (2006-2007) and claimed victory in the Giro d'Italia Femminile (2004) as well. Cooke was also a 10-time British national champion and the 2002 Commonwealth Games road race champion.
While Cooke was justifiably proud of her cycling career, she also utilised her farewell press conference as a means to speak out regarding what she saw as the UCI's failure to commit to developing women's cycling during here 11-year professional career.
In May Russia's Denis Menchov announced his retirement with immediate effect after a knee injury kept him out of the Giro d'Italia. The 35-year-old left the peloton with three Grand Tour victories in his palmares (Vuelta a Espana in 2005, 2007 plus the 2009 Giro d'Italia). He twice finished on the Tour de France podium and won stages in all three Grand Tours. Menchov won the Tour's best young rider classification in 2003 and also won the Tour of the Basque country in 2004 during his 15-year pro career.
His last significant win came on stage 20 of the Vuelta last year when he won atop Bola del Mondo. As well as riding for Banesto, Menchov also turned out for Rabobank, Geox TMC and Katusha. While Menchov was never charged with doping offences throughout his career, he was called to Vienna, Austria in 2009 to answer questions in relation to the "Human Plasma" case and was part of leaked document, their "Index of Suspicion", put together by the UCI.
Stuart O'Grady retired from the pro peloton the day after finishing the Tour de France, bringing to a conclusion a career stretching back to 1995. During the 1998 season he won a stage in the Tour and wore the maillot jaune for three days. O'Grady's Tour success continued in 2001 when he wore the yellow jersey for six stages and was part of the winning team time trial squad with Crédit Agricole.
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