“I’m not going to say anything right now” - Frustrated Lotte Kopecky denied in dramatic Stage 2 finale at La Vuelta Femenina

Stage 2 of La Vuelta Femenina 2026 was defined by the crash and abandonment of race leader Noemi Ruegg, but in the fight for the stage win, Lotte Kopecky was left to reflect on a moment that slipped away in the final metres.

Positioned perfectly for the uphill finish in San Cibrao das Viñas, the Belgian launched her sprint only to see it unravel following contact with eventual winner Shari Bossuyt. “I’m not going to say anything right now,” a frustrated Kopecky said afterwards in conversation with Sporza.

Kopecky had arrived at the finish exactly where she needed to be. The reduced group that reached the final rise had already been shaped by a long, demanding day, leaving only the strongest riders in contention.

Her sprint lasted only a moment. “Our shoulders touched, and it looked like I came out of my pedal, but that wasn’t actually the case,” she explained. “I try to shift into a bigger gear, but with a SRAM system, if you press both buttons at the same time, you go to the small chainring. At the moment I try to shift up, I come into contact with Shari. Then I go onto the inner ring and my chain comes off.”

Instead of accelerating, her effort stalled and with it any chance of taking the stage.

The frustration was heightened by how the stage had developed. The rolling terrain and controlled pace had led into a selective uphill finish that suited Kopecky, and Team SD Worx - Protime executed their approach accordingly. She was delivered into the final climb in position, with the race under control.

“They did a perfect job today,” she said. “They positioned me perfectly on the climb. I knew that last little kick would be difficult, but I was still there. Then I come up to Anna and she does a perfect lead out. I launched at the right moment, but about the rest I’m not going to say anything right now.”

With Anna van der Breggen guiding the final approach, the structure was in place for a clean finish. Sadly for Kopecky however, it didn't end up following that script.

Kopecky offered little further reflection on the incident itself when asked directly who was to blame. “That doesn’t matter.”

The response reflected the situation. The opportunity had been there, the execution had been right, but the outcome was decided in an instant.