The World Championships. UAE Tour Women. Strade Bianche Donne. Paris-Roubaix Femmes. The general classification at the Tour de Romandie. The European Championships individual time trial. Is there anything that Lotte Kopecky can’t win? The answer, it seems, is no.
Once thought of as a punchy rouleur, the last two seasons have seen the Belgian rider expertly shapeshift into an all-rounder who can hold her own in the mountains as well as on the flat. Gone are the days of Kopecky only being included in pre-race previews if the parcours didn’t involve climbs longer than three kilometres. Now, she must be considered as a serious contender in every single race she starts. The same as the ever-dominant Tadej Pogačar on the men’s side of the sport. The reality is, if you want to be a winner in modern cycling, this is the kind of rider you need to be.
Kopecky’s prowess in the mountains was clear in last year’s Tour de France Femmes. Her formidable ride on the Col du Tourmalet saw her climb with the best –despite having already won the opening stage solo and securing three podium finishes on sprint stages. On the final day of the race, she was also third in the individual time trial around Pau to cement her GC position. Kopecky eventually finished in second place last year, only beaten by her SD Worx-Protime teammate, Demi Vollering, who will leave the Dutch squad at the end of the 2024 season.
Photo: Zac Williams/SWpix
Kopecky’s requirements on the velodrome and focus on the Paris Olympics meant that she didn’t start in this year’s Tour, but her recent performances at the Tour de Romandie indicate that if she had, SD Worx would have had a job on their hands deciding who was the dedicated leader out of herself and Vollering – a job they have not shown themselves to be particularly good at in the past.
In the queen stage of Romandie to Vercorin, the world champion matched Vollering's pace all the way to the summit of the 10-kilometre, first-category climb, before sprinting against her at the finish line and just narrowly missing out on victory. It was – yet another – unusual display by SD Worx who seem determined to let two teammates in fight it out for the stage honours despite the questions that might raise about harmony within the squad. With this in mind, the only person who was likely relieved to see that Kopecky’s name was not on the start list of the Tour de France Femmes earlier this season is Vollering herself. For those of us watching at home, however, having the Belgian rider thrown into the GC battle in one of the biggest races of the year is going to be a treat in 2025.
While the route of next year’s Tour is yet to be revealed by race organisers A.S.O, it’s hard to imagine that there will be any stages which will put Kopecky in difficulty when it comes to fighting for the yellow jersey. Time trial stages? She can do them. Gravel? Easy. High mountains? She’s up there with the best. Sprint stages? You can rely on her for a podium finish. Anyone racing against Kopecky next season should have a sinking sense of dread after seeing what the Belgian rider has done this year. Beating her is going to be a head-scratching conundrum for anyone with the monumental task of doing so.
Photo: Olly Hassell/SWpix
Of course, Kopecky and SD Worx-Protime will face tough competition from Vollering (who will be riding for her yet-to-be-announced new team) and defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma of Canyon//SRAM. But Kopecky has a weapon that other GC riders don’t: her speed. She can pick up stage wins and time bonuses on days that other climbers won’t be able to, and will have no trouble if crosswinds hit in flat stages.
Perhaps the 28-year-old’s only real vice could, once again, be her own teammates. Anna van der Breggen is coming out of retirement next season and, if the Dutchwoman is in the same form as when she was at her seven-time Flèche Wallonne winning best, she’ll also be targeting the maillot jaune in the biggest race of the year. SD Worx-Protime certainly haven’t proven themselves as particularly adept in managing a dual-leadership approach to stage races, so Van der Breggen’s return might just put Kopecky back in the same position she is now: fighting against her own teammates for a chance to go for general classification.
The reality is, however, that if Kopecky’s form is there, her legs will do the talking in the Tour next year. Without the Olympics and the track focus which has been on the Belgian rider’s mind in 2024, she can place all of her energy into another formidable road campaign. When you consider what she has done this season, and then remember that there is still margin for improvement, Kopecky could well be unstoppable in 2025. Nothing is guaranteed in sport, but you wouldn’t bet against her to add a Tour de France Femmes title to her already glittering palmarès.
Cover photo: Elliot Keen/British Cycling via SWpix
