Lotte Kopecky sprints to second place in Madrid, Team SD Worx wins the team classification

Lotte Kopecky sprints to second place in Madrid, Team SD Worx wins the team classification

11/09/2022

The last stage of the Ceratizit Challenge by la Vuelta was a bit like crit racing. The peloton completed 17 laps of 5,62 kilometres with a lot of curves. In the inevitable sprint Lotte Kopecky sprinted to second place. "Of course I hoped for the win, but Balsamo was simply faster," said an honest Lotte Kopecky.

Linked race Ceratizit Challenge by La Vuelta - Linked cyclists Lotte Kopecky - Gekoppelde ploegleiders: Anna van der Breggen Danny Stam

That the last stage of Ceratizit Challenge by la Vuelta would end in a sprint was written in the stars. An early breakaway was caught with ten kilometres to go and Sara Martin chose to attack and Niamh Fisher-Black countered.

"Niamh folded double to keep the situation under control," said Lotte Kopecky. "The race went the way we wanted and together with some other teams we were in control. In the final, Anna Shackley, Marlen Reusser, Demi Vollering and Blanka Vas brought me perfectly to the last bend as was the plan. In the sprint I saw Elisa Longo-Borghini accelerated at 400 metres to go. I knew the sprint was over if I reacted to that move immediately, so I straightened up and hesitated for a moment, then Alexandra Manly passed me and I jumped on her wheel. But then Elisa Balsamo went from the other side and she was simply faster than me. In a sprint everything has to be perfect, so second place was the best possible result for me today."

Team SD Worx thus concludes the Ceratizit Challenge by la Vuelta with two podium finishes. In the GC, Demi Vollering finished third, she is on the final podium with Annemiek Van Vleuten and Elisa Longo-Borghini. Anna Shackley finishes seventh in the general classification. Team SD Worx wins the team classification. "I have a good feeling about the last five days", Lotte Kopecky concludes.

Read also

Your browser is out-of-date!

Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now

×