REPORT: Lotte Kopecky wins Strade Bianche

REPORT: Lotte Kopecky wins Strade Bianche

"I can't believe it, it's the biggest victory of my career"

05/03/2022

Lotte Kopecky wins the Strade Bianche. The Belgian champion rules the Piazza Del Campo and defeats Annemiek Van Vleuten in a direct duel. Good for a back-to-back win for Team SD Worx. Kopecky follows Van de Broek-Blaak on the list of winners of the Strade Bianche, Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio shows the supremacy of Team SD Worx by completing the podium. "What a perfect day. I can hardly believe it," Lotte Kopecky said.

Linked race Strade Bianche - Linked cyclists Lotte Kopecky

It was Lotte Kopecky who broke open the race on the Colle Pinzutu with 20 kilometres to go. The pace would never slow down and Team SD Worx continued to be present at the front of the race with several riders. When a leading group entered the final kilometre, Annemiek Van Vleuten went full speed ahead at the foot of the Via Catarina, but Lotte Kopecky clung to her wheel. Head over head they went into the final straight, with the Belgian champion using her track experience to cut perfectly into the final bend and take the biggest win of her career. Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio showed the supremacy of Team SD Worx by completing the podium. 

I can hardly believe I just won! I knew I had to be first on the last corner, I was prepared for the sprint. It is the biggest victory in my career. The perfect day. 

Winner Lotte Kopecky

The perfect day

"I can hardly believe I just won! It was a great team effort from the whole Team SD Worx. I knew I had my teammates behind me that had my back. I had a good feeling in the finale, I tried to follow Annemiek Van Vleuten and I just kept pushing until the last corner, I knew I had to be first on the last corner, I was prepared for the sprint. It is the biggest victory in my career. The perfect day", Lotte Kopecky said in a first reaction."

Lotte Kopecky said in the press conference: “This was actually the tactic. I was quite confident before the race that I could do this on the final climb. It’s explosive and it suits me. We always covered the attacks before. Chantal told me to relax and not lose energy. When Annemiek couldn’t drop me, it was very good for my confidence. I hesitated last week [at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad] on the “muur”. At the top I wasn’t there, so today, in my head, I knew that I could go for the win if I was on her wheel up the hill. It means a lot to me to beat her. She said after the race that I was really strong and the last corner was a bit tricky. It was just one sprint to the corner. I wasn’t going to brake. It’s normal to be disappointed when you’re second. For me, this is the best result in my career so far.”

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