[ad_1]
As the peloton heads to the highly anticipated cobbled classic, personal expectations for victory and external pressure to perform are placed squarely on the shoulders of world champion Lotte Kopecky.
There is little dispute that Kopecky is the clear favorite to win, but he will face a number of rivals at the upcoming Ghent-Wevelgem, Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix.
Her dominant performance throughout the previous season, which included wins at the Tour de Flanders and Tour de France, and three world titles in road races, elimination races and points races, was one of the highlights of her career. It was a turning point.
Once one of the favorites to win, Kopecky is a two-time Belgian national champion wearing the rainbow jersey and is now a mainstay in the cobbled classics, especially in front of his home crowd.
SD Works Pro Time continued to designate Kopecky as a wild card throughout the early part of the season. She has proven to be one of the most valuable riders due to her versatility in all terrains including sprints, mountains, time trials and track.
These variables are almost natural to her and add to her characteristics as a professional when it comes to one day running up Herringen across cobblestone sectors all over Belgium, part of the famous cobblestone classic. It is a training ground with deep roots. cyclist.
Kopecky may not have anything to prove. After all, she is already celebrating her victory with her hands in the air as the winner of the 2022 and her 2023 Tour of Flanders. But there are still races left to conquer.
She finished second twice at Gent-Wevelgem and had three top-10 finishes at Dwars Door Vlaanderen, all in pre-COVID times. However, she has since chosen not to compete in the competition, which was primarily considered a rehearsal for the Tour of Flanders.
She also finished second and seventh in both Paris-Roubaix events, where strength, skill and luck often play equal parts in the outcome of a race to the Roubaix velodrome.
Kopecky is trying to live up to his expectations, but he also has high goals for the cobbled classic, telling reporters that his aim is to be in top form for the Ardennes Classic ahead of the Tour of Flanders. told. But his biggest goal is Paris-Roubaix.
“This is also the kind of effort that I really like, and it’s just a heroic race,” she said in an interview earlier in the season.
Kopecky can be defeated
Kopecky may not have been looking for wins right away, but he started the season with an overall victory on the UAE Tour and his strongest performance on the stage three climb to the top of Jebel Hafeet.
As the Spring Classic kicked off at Omloop Het Nysblad on the opening weekend, she was overtaken by Marianne Voss (Visma Ries-A-Bike) in a four-rider sprint to the finish line in Ninove.
Voss will also be a major contender in some of the cobbled classics, and we can expect her goals to be at the top at Dwars door Vlaanderen, the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. Voss, who was second in the 2021 edition of Hell of the North, was forced to miss the 2022 edition due to COVID-19, which was won last year by Alison Jackson (EF Education Cannondale) Finished 10th in the race. Escape sprint victory.
Back-to-back wins at Strade Bianche and Nokere Kelce proved that Kopecky was on track to reach peak form at the right time, just before Ghent-Wevelgem.
However, she was a last-minute addition to the Trofeo Alfredo Binda roster, with Elisa Balsamo (Riddle Trek) finishing fastest in the sprint to take the win. The Italian and former world champion also achieved his second consecutive win at the Classic Brugge-de Panne. The American team also includes strong players such as Elisa Longo Borghini and Lizzy Deignan.
In that race, SD Works was forced to withdraw due to injuries to multiple riders, including sprinter Lorena Wiebes, who crashed at Nokere Kelce.
The squad that returned to Gent-Wevelgem at full strength includes defending champion Maren Reusser, Kopecky, Wiebes, Femke Markus, Christine Majerus and Chantal van den Broek-Braak. The team will then welcome Tour de France winner Demi Vollering and European champion Mischa Bredewald to Dwards Door Vlaanderen and Tour of Flanders.
Sporting Director Lars Boom said: “The team is healthy again and ready to race. Maren Reusser was already showing good legs after falling ill at the Trofeo Binda. “I’m eager to do my best again. Lorena Wiebes is also looking forward to a foothold at the top.” .
“And of course Lotte Kopecky, who is the world champion in her home country, is very motivated. It is an advantage that we have a few irons.”
Get unlimited access to all our coverage of the spring classics, including reports, breaking news and analysis from Strade Bianche, Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and more. Find out more.
main races
Classic Bruges de Panne Ladies – March 21st, Belgium (World Tour)
This race is traditionally suited for sprinters. The route starts in Bruges and passes through Loew, Koekelare and Schorbakke. The contest then moves on to his two finishing circuits of De Panne. Elisa Balsamo (Riddle Trek) won the competition over Charlotte Kuhl (dsm-firmenich PostNL).
Ghent – Wevelgem Women – March 24th, Belgium (World Tour)
The second of six Flanders Classic events after Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Ghent-Wevelgem is one of the relatively flat one-day races and usually sees a clash of sprinters. The start of the race was moved from the Grote Markt in Ypres to the Menin Gate, and included several major climbs such as Beneberg, Kemmelberg and Monteberg on the way to the finish in Wevelgem. Maren Reusser lines up as the defending champion.
Dower’s Door Vlaanderen – March 27, Belgium (ProSeries)
The race is not yet on the Women’s WorldTour calendar, but is one of the most important test events ahead of the Tour of Flanders, which takes place four days later. The Pro Series event starts and finishes in Waregem, with nine climbs and seven cobbled sectors he walks over 129.9 km on the edge of the Flemish Ardennes. Demi Vollering lines up as the defending champion.
Flanders Women’s Tour – March 31st, Belgium (World Tour)
The Tour of Flanders, the most prestigious of the spring classics, begins and ends in Oudenaarde. It includes a combination of cobbled sectors and steep climbs, including the more decisive late-race climbs of Kreisberg/Hotond, Oude Quaermont, Patelberg, and the one before the finish line at Oudenaarde. was also included. Lotte Kopecky is lined up as the two-time defending champion.
Paris-Roubaix Femme – April 6th, France (World Tour)
The inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femme in 2021 was a day in the history books for both women’s cycling and the inaugural Paris-Roubaix Femme winner, Lizzy Dignan. In 2022, teammate Elisa Longo Borghini won with Trek-Segafredo, and in 2023, Alison Jackson (EF) won. The 116km route from Denant to the Roubaix velodrome includes 17 cobblestone sectors, two of which are the most difficult pavé sectors – Mont-en-Pévert and Carrefour de l’Arbre.
[ad_2]
Source link
