Incredible Lotte Kopecky takes thrilling Paris-Roubaix Femmes victory with blistering velodrome sprint

Lotte Kopecky has made more history by taking a stunning victory at Paris-Roubaix Femmes in a thrilling final sprint on the historic velodrome.

After Alison Jackson took victory from the breakaway last year, the peloton was still all together with over 80km to go, as the cobbles began.

With 70km to go, Lotte Kopecky took to the front, putting the hammer down on the cobbles and making warning alarms go off for riders further back. Although she couldn't break free, the world champion's acceleration strung things out considerably.

A short while later however, it was the world champion who was on the back foot as a mechanical had her dropping out the back of the peloton and searching for her Team SD Worx - Protime team car.

Having made her way back to the front, with 54km to go, Kopecky again started to set an infernal pace, drawing an elite group of four clear. Kopecky, Marianne Vos, Christina Schweinberger and Pfieffer Georgi.

On the next cobbled sector however, the power of Ellen van Dijk dragged the peloton back to the leading quartet.

Heading into the final 35km, the front of the race had swelled even further as the pace slowed somewhat and riders took a momentary breather.

The next rider to make a difference at the front was Jade Wiel, attacking clear solo and quickly building a lead of around 30 seconds. When the Frenchwoman was caught, van Dijk again made an attack and this time, she was able to create a gap and was joined by Amber Kraak.

Taking matters into her own hands, Kopecky was leading the chase behind and she, Vos and Elisa Balsamo managed to bridge across, with Georgi battling hard to join them. Heading into the final 10km, the British National Champion made contact.

With the leading sextuplet only having around 20 seconds heading into the last 5km, there wasn't much leeway for game-playing.

Into the velodrome and the six leaders still held the advantage. In a thrilling final battle for the line, it was Georgi who opened things but there was no stopping Lotte Kopecky who took the win in style, Balsamo and Georgi completing the podium.

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