Lotte Kopecky unsure after bad luck in Omloop ahead of Strade Bianche

On the eve of the Strade Bianche Donne, Lotte Kopecky has few references to gauge her race form. In her season debut at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, she couldn’t fully defend her chances, but the three-time world champion remains hopeful for Strade Bianche, where she could become co-record holder.

She was already the best in Siena in 2022 and 2024. “But this year, literally every top rider is at the start, so it’s going to be super tough. If you still manage to win, that makes it all the more special,” she told Sporza.

Kopecky is not the only asset on her SD Worx-Protime team, but she sees no issues collaborating with Anna van der Breggen. The Belgian mainly hopes to avoid bad luck. “It’s always useful to do a course recon. Some sectors are a bit different than last time. I also felt like they’ve patched some parts, which has made certain sections muddy. Hopefully, it will dry out, because right now some sectors are really heavy.”

For that reason, she has set a clear goal. “I’ll be satisfied if mechanical issues stay away this time. So if I get a fair chance. And preferably, that would end with a victory.”

Did anything from Omloop Het Nieuwsblad stick with her? “It is what it is,” she said. “I wanted to test myself against the top riders on the Muur van Geraardsbergen during Omloop, but bad luck decided otherwise. My track world championships went well, and so do my training numbers. So I just have to trust my abilities. Although I will need to put out my best numbers to compete.”