Because the peloton heads into the extremely anticipated cobbled Classics, the private expectations to win and out of doors pressures to carry out relaxation squarely on World Champion Lotte Kopecky’s shoulders.
There’s virtually no disputing Kopecky’s standing because the outright favorite, however she’s going to face rivals aplenty within the upcoming Gent-Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix.
Her dominance all through the earlier season, which included victories on the Tour of Flanders and Tour de France and three world titles within the highway race, elimination race, and factors race, has marked a turning level in her profession.
As soon as among the many favorite contenders, Kopecky, carrying the rainbow jersey but additionally the double Belgian nationwide champion, is now very a lot the centrepiece for the cobbled Classics, particularly on her house soil and in entrance of her house crowds.
SD Worx-Protime continues to tip Kopecky as their wildcard all through the early season. She has confirmed to be certainly one of their most useful riders due to her versatility on all-terrain, together with sprints, mountains, time trials, and the observe.
In terms of at some point racing up the hellingen and over the cobblestone sectors throughout Belgium, that are a lot a part of the famed cobbled Classics, these variables are virtually second nature to her, coaching grounds which might be deeply ingrained into her traits as an expert bicycle owner.
Kopecky might not have something to show; in any case, she has already raised her arms in celebration twice because the winner of the Tour of Flanders in 2022 and 2023. Nevertheless, there are nonetheless races to overcome.
She completed second on two events at Gent-Wevelgem and had three prime 10s at Dwars door Vlaanderen, all within the pre-COVID period. Nevertheless, she has since opted to not compete in what has largely been thought of the costume rehearsal for the Tour of Flanders.
She has additionally completed second and seventh in two editions of Paris-Roubaix, the place power, ability and luck typically play equal elements within the consequence of the race into the Roubaix Velodrome.
Kopecky is attempting to handle her expectations, however she can be aiming excessive for these cobbled Classics, telling the press that it was her purpose to be in peak type forward of the Tour of Flanders and thru the Ardennes Classics. The principle aim, nonetheless, is Paris-Roubaix.
“It is also the form of efforts I actually like and it is only a heroic race,” she mentioned in an early season interview.
Kopecky may be crushed
Though she might not have meant to be in profitable type so quickly, Kopecky began her season with an total victory on the UAE Tour, the place she was the strongest on the stage 3 ascent atop Jebel Hafeet.
Because the curtain lifted on the Spring Classics at Opening Weekend’s Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, she was out-sprinted by Marianne Vos (Visma-Lease a Bike) in a four-rider dash to the end line in Ninove.
Vos may also be a serious participant throughout a few of the cobbled Classics, and we will anticipate that her aim is to peak via Dwars door Vlaanderen, Tour of Flanders, and Paris-Roubaix. Second place on the 2021 version of the Hell of the North, Vos was then pressured to tug out of the 2022 version as a consequence of COVID-19, and he or she completed tenth final yr in a race that noticed Alison Jackson (EF Schooling-Cannondale) take the breakaway dash victory.
Again-to-back wins at Strade Bianche and Nokere Koerse, have confirmed that Kopecky is on observe to reaching her peak type on the proper time, simply forward of Gent-Wevelgem.
Nevertheless, she was a last-minute addition to the Trofeo Alfredo Binda roster, the place Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) was the quickest finisher within the dash for the victory. The Italian and former world champion additionally secured a second consecutive win at Basic Brugge-De Panne. The US staff may also have a robust staff with Elisa Longo Borghini and Lizzie Deignan.
In that race, SD Worx had been pressured to tug out as a consequence of a number of rider accidents, together with their sprinter Lorena Wiebes, who had crashed at Nokere Koerse.
Again in full power at Gent-Wevelgem, the staff options defending champion Marlen Reusser, Kopecky, Wiebes, Femke Markus, Christine Majerus, and Chantal van den Broek-Blaak. Then, the staff will herald Tour de France winner Demi Vollering and European Champion Mischa Bredewold for Dwars door Vlaanderen and Tour of Flanders.
“Our staff is wholesome once more and able to race. Marlen Reusser already had good legs after her sickness within the Trofeo Binda. She is keen to do her greatest once more. Lorena Wiebes can be hoping for the highest scaffold,” mentioned sport director Lars Increase.
“And Lotte Kopecky, as world champion in her personal nation, is, after all, additionally tremendous motivated. It is a bonus that now we have a number of irons within the hearth”
Get limitless entry to all of our protection of the Spring Classics – together with reporting, breaking information and evaluation from Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and extra. Discover out extra.
The key races
Basic Brugge-De Panne Girls – March 21, Belgium (WorldTour)
It is a race historically effectively suited to sprinters. The route begins in Brugge and passes via Leeuw, Koekelare, and Schoorbakke. The competition then strikes on to 2 ending circuits in De Panne. Elisa Balsamo (Lidl-Trek) took the victory forward of Charlotte Kool (dsm-firmenich PostNL).
Gent-Wevelgem Girls – March 24, Belgium (WorldTour)
The second of six Flanders Classics occasions after Omloop het Nieuwsblad, Gent-Wevelgem is among the flatter one-day races and usually sees a conflict of the sprinters. The beginning of the race was moved from Ypres’ Grote Markt to the Menin Gate and included a number of principal climbs, such because the Beneberg, Kemmelberg and Monteberg en path to the end in Wevelgem. Marlen Reusser traces up because the defending champion.
Dwars door Vlaanderen – March 27, Belgium (ProSeries)
Whereas this race isn’t but a part of the Girls’s WorldTour calendar, it is among the most essential take a look at occasions forward of the Tour of Flanders, which is held 4 days later. The Professional Sequence occasion begins and finishes in Waregem, taking in 9 climbs and 7 separate cobblestone sectors on the sting of the Flemish Ardennes over 129.9km. Demi Vollering traces up because the defending champion.
Tour of Flanders Girls – March 31, Belgium (WorldTour)
The Tour of Flanders, one of the prestigious of the Spring Classics, begins and ends in Oudenaarde. It coated a mixture of cobbled sectors and steep climbs, together with the extra decisive climbs close to the tip of the race – Kruisberg/Hotond, Oude Kwaremont, and the Paterberg – earlier than the end line in Oudenaarde. Lotte Kopecky traces up because the two-time defending champion.
Paris-Roubaix Femmes – April 6, France (WorldTour)
The inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femmes in 2021 was a day written into the historical past books for each ladies’s biking and for the first winner of the Paris-Roubaix Femmes – Lizzie Deignan. Her teammate, Elisa Longo Borghini, adopted up with one other win for Trek-Segafredo within the 2022 version, and Alison Jackson (EF) received in 2023. The 116km route from Denain to the Roubaix Velodrome consists of 17 sectors of cobbled roads, with two of the pavé sectors rated on the most issue stage – Mons-en-Pévèle and the Carrefour de l’Arbre.
