GB can propel Emma Pooley to glory, says Nicole Cooke An untimely illness to Olympic silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead, one of the favourites for gold, has seen leadership of the British team pass to Emma Pooley, who should greatly enjoy a lumpy Valkenburg circuit that includes two testing climbs - the Cauberg and the Bemelerberg - both of which have to be negotiated eight times. With Holland's Marianne Vos the undisputed favourite, Pooley can ride without too much pressure. "We have a really good chance with Emma, she should be really strong on this course," said Cooke, who won her world title in Varese four years go. Hopefully Sharon Laws and myself can back her up tactically and have a big effect on the race. Katie Colclough and Nikki Harris have ridden in the worlds before so we all know what is in store. It's a hard course, a really good course, and there will be a natural wearing-down process before you even throw in the tactical element. Olympic champion Vos, backed up by Ellen van Dijk and Kirsten Wild, should certainly be to the fore. So should Italy although their team leader, Giorgia Bronzini, winner of the past two world titles, has reportedly been troubled with a stomach complaint recently. Germany are also strong, even though their time-trial champion, Judith Arndt, insists she has no individual ambitions on the road. Such is her commanding form that you cannot rule her out. Cooke, meanwhile, admits her form has been indifferent this season but she has happy memories of this course, having won her first ever World Cup here in 2003 at the women's version of the Amstel Gold Race. "It has been very special riding around the course in training and the worlds are always a big highlight for me," she said. Armitstead and Pooley have made headlines recently with their outspoken comments on the plight of women's cycling, highlighting its financial insecurity, scant media coverage and lack of races. But Cooke has been fighting that battle for at least a decade. "Women's cycling had got all the ingredients: a fantastic group of riders who are professional and know how to race tactically as teams and individuals but we need to improve the profile and media coverage of our racing. which is almost non existent," she said. We also need a calender a bit like grand-slam tennis when the men and women join forces together four times a year and then go and do their own tours with our own World Cup series. It will take some hard work, there are changes that need to happen to turn around what has become the norm for the last 10-15 years but we should all pull together. If we could do that, the situation would improve out of sight.