Lotte Kopecky finishes fifth in Tour of Flanders, Demi Vollering eighth

Lotte Kopecky finishes fifth in Tour of Flanders, Demi Vollering eighth

31/03/2024

In a rained-out edition of the Tour of Flanders, Lotte Kopecky rode to a 5th place. The Dutch World team had only Lorena Wiebes in the breakaway after the Koppenberg. Demi Vollering and Lotte Kopecky were able to connect just before the Oude Kwaremont, but had wasted a lot of energy in the chase. "This gives a double feeling. It could have all gone just that tad differently," said Demi Vollering.

Linked cyclists Lotte Kopecky

Lotte Kopecky (5th): "I was not far enough in front for the Koppenberg, that was partly due to circumstances because I was pushed a bit, but it was also partly my own fault. I had to set foot because they went off the bike in front of me and on the Koppenberg there is no room to pass them. With that, a very strong leading group was gone and we were running behind. I then tried to ride as hard as I could to get Demi Vollering back in position. Eventually I tried to set the pace as high as possible in the chasing group so we could rejoin. That succeeded, but cost a lot of strength. So it gives a double feeling. It's a shame we couldn't get more out of it, but I'm going to turn the knob around quickly and focus on the next goal: Paris-Roubaix."

Demi Vollering (8th): "It's a huge shame. Especially when you see how strong we still rode as a team in the end. Only we were constantly behind after the Koppenberg. Luckily Lorena Wiebes was able to limit the damage and with her we were still represented at the front. But Lotte and I missed the battle on the Koppenberg because we had to get off our bikes. In the end, I wasted a lot of energy in the chase. We completely drained ourselves. When you're two or three in front, you can play the game. Now it was important not to give up and to keep believing in it. When you see how Lotte still came back and kept fighting and also went full in the last kilometer ... There was more in it. I had hoped to just be there on the Paterberg, but this was a maximum effort for me. There was just nothing more in it because I had already used up so much energy. Too bad, I hope to win this one day."

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