Former two-time world junior road champion Nicole Cooke of Great Britain won the biggest event of her young pro career on Sunday: the Amstel Gold Race, fourth round of the 2003 World Cup.

The 20-year-old Welsh rider on the Ausra-Safi team – which is affiliated to the Italian Acca Due O squad – bridged up with the Spanish rider Teodora Ruano of Prato-Marathon to solo leader Oenone Wood of Australia, who went clear on the Keutenberg with 11km to go. The three joined forces on the descent of the Sibbergrubbe with 4km to go, then Cooke attacked on the finishing climb, the Cauberg.

“We could see the bunch coming up, so I attacked with about 400 meters to go, and won solo, while my breakaway companions were both caught by the bunch,” Cooke told VeloNews before she went to the anti-doping control.

Cooke was two seconds clear on the line ahead of another Australian, Olivia Gollan, and 1999 world champion Edita Pucinskaite of Lithuania. Current world champion Susan Ljungskog of Sweden crossed in fifth, five seconds back.

The top North American finisher was Canada’s Lyne Bessette, who came in 10th, one place ahead of the initial attacker, Wood, who was 12 seconds back, while Ruano crossed in 24th, at half a minute.

The big field of 162 starters stayed together until the first passage of the Cauberg, which has a steepest pitch of 12 percent, midway though the 105km race. That first climb left about 60 riders in front, with most of them still in contention when they reached the decisive Keutenberg ascent, where Wood attacked on the stiff 22-percent grade and Cooke moved up, ready to pounce.

3RD AMSTEL GOLD RACE (WOMEN)
THE NETHERLANDS. APRIL 20.
1.Nicole Cooke (GB), Ausra Grudis-Safi, 105.4km in 2:45:18 (38.257 kph)
2. Olivia Gollan (Aus), Australian National, at 0:02
3.Edita Pucinskaite (Lit), Michela Fanini, s.t.
4. Regina Schleicher (G), German National, at 0:04
5. Susanne Ljungskog (S), Aliverti Catalunya, at 0:05
6. Mirjam Melchers (Nl), Farm Frites-Hartol, at 0:06
7. Sara Carrigan (Aus), Bike Powerplate, at 0:07
8. Judith Arndt (G), Nürnberger, s.t.
9. Zulfia Zabirova (Rus), Prato-Marathon Bike, at 0:08
10. Lyne Bessette (Can), Canada National, at 0:09Other North Americans
20. Amber Neben (USA), at 0:21
27.Sue Palmer-Komar (Can), Canada National, at 0:33
28. Sandy Espeseth (Can), Canada National, s.t.
34. Kristin Armstrong (USA), T-Mobile, at 0:39
35. Kimberley Bruckner (USA), T-Mobile, s.t. 77. Katy St. Laurent (Can), Canada National, at 2:16
90. Stacey Peters (USA), T-Mobile, at 2:34
93. Mari Holden (USA), T-Mobile, at 2:40
134. Julie Hutsebaut (Can), Canada National, at 16:33.(162 starters, 141 finishers.)