Baden Cooke's career looks to be over after failing to win a contract extension from Orica-GreenEDGE. Picture: Sarah Reed
AUSTRALIAN cyclist Baden Cooke is coming to terms with the realisation his decorated career looks over after being told by Orica-GreenEDGE he would not be re-signed for next year.
A mainstay of Australian cycling for nearly two decades, Cooke won the Tour de France's green jersey in 2003 and will go down as one of the nation's best ever road riders.
"I think pretty much it's over," Cooke said last night.
"It's a really bad year for cycling with so many teams shutting down, there are hundreds of guys on the market with no job and I'm one of those guys.
"I'm speaking with one WorldTour team at the moment but it's a very small chance, there are probably 50 guys going for the one spot."
The 34-year-old Victorian told News Limited he was "surprised and disappointed" by Orica-GreenEDGE's decision but said he left the team on good terms.
"I had no inkling this could be my last year," he said.
"I thought I'd do two more years and at my age I can still ride fast enough to do my job well.
"It's a shame if I do have to go out not on my own terms but I'm not angry or anything, I've had a really good run.
"I'm very close with Gerry Ryan the owner of the team and Shayne Bannan who have both helped me immensely during my career.
"I'll never forget that and I wouldn't be here today if I didn't have their help over the years."
Cooke was a national champion on the track before turning to the road where he won the Herald Sun Tour, Dwars Door Vlaanderen, stages of the Tour de France and Tour Down Under and had three top-10 finishes in Gent-Wevelgem.
But it was his victory in the points classification at the 2003 Tour de France, in which he and Robbie McEwen remain the only Australians to win the green jersey, which stands out.
"I've won 50-odd professional races and I'm proud of every one of those," he said.
"Obviously the green jersey stands out as a life changing thing, the other ones are nice memories but the green jersey has changed my life really.
"That was a defining moment of my life."
Cooke's departure continues an exodus of experience at Orica-GreenEDGE this season following the retirement of Stuart O'Grady.
"Like someone said the other day, 'You've lost Stuey and you've lost Cookey, so you've lost 40 years of professional experience," Cooke said.
"My days of being a prolific winner are long gone, I still come close occasionally but my main role on the team was basically the same as Stuey's was.
"An experienced road captain with so much talent on the team, I would take those guys and put them in the right spot and talk them through what's happening and give them tactics.
"When Stuey and I were heading to races I was like his right-hand man to make decisions. He was the captain and I was there to bounce ideas off each other and when he wasn't there, that was my role."
Cooke said he would ride for a Pro Continental team but roster spots were few and far between and even if something became available, it would need to pay the bills.
"If it's not happening then I need to move on to the next part of my life," he said.
That could include a future as an agent for Australian riders while still being based in Monaco.
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