Lotte Kopecky skipped a historic three-peat at the Tour of Flanders, ending fifth just after a tactical mishap on the important Koppenberg. Her team manager, Danny Stam, was outspoken about the mishap, suggesting that Kopecky’s conclusion to fetch her own refreshments was a significant mistake. “Where do you get it in your head to get your possess foodstuff as an alternative of leaving it to a teammate?!” he exclaimed, reflecting on the minute Kopecky dropped again to the staff car or truck. This transfer, according to Stam, was “as well preposterous for phrases.”
The race, battered by harsh weather, saw Kopecky and her SD Worx-Protime teammates slipping shorter of anticipations. Kopecky’s mishandling of her position ahead of the Koppenberg was pivotal, as she admitted, “It was my very own fault.” She also pointed out that remaining pushed aside just prior to the climb influenced her positioning adversely. The world champion argued for the relocation of the Koppenberg deeper into the race to stay away from this sort of bottlenecks.
Stam’s annoyance was palpable as he critiqued the team’s functionality, emphasising the deficiency of aggressiveness when compared to their rivals. He observed that the cold and rain were no excuses as the circumstances ended up the identical for all riders. Kopecky’s efforts to assist teammate Demi Vollering post-Koppenberg have been acknowledged, but the workforce’s tactic was now compromised.
The manager also highlighted Kopecky’s need to assert far more command inside the staff, a lesson she seemed to have taken to coronary heart in the put up-race debriefing. Even with this, Kopecky’s resilience shone by way of as she managed a commendable recovery, preserving a solid pace in the ultimate kilometres. Nevertheless, this effort and hard work was insufficient to bridge the hole to the leaders, cementing a fifth-place end.
As Kopecky and her staff seem ahead to Paris-Roubaix Femmes, they are still left to reflect on the skipped possibility at Flanders. With the regrettable early race exit of teammate Marlen Reusser owing to harm, the group faces supplemental worries moving forward. Kopecky continues to be optimistic, focusing on restoration and environment sights on the approaching Paris-Roubaix Femmes, a significant aim in her racing calendar.
This year’s Ronde van Vlaanderen leaves Kopecky and SD Worx-Protime with a blend of regret and resolve, underscoring the value of tactical precision and staff coordination in the pursuit of victory on cycling’s grandest stages.
