"It's better not to put all your eggs in one basket": Lotte Kopecky fine with multiple-leader strategy at Strade Bianche

The Strade Bianche Donne is undeniable one of the most exciting races on the women's cycling calendar. As a two-time champion (2022 and 2024) of the Italian classic, the 30-year-old Lotte Kopecky knows what it feels like to raise her hands in Siena very well. However winning for a third time will not come easy against fellow two-time winner Demi Vollering, 2025 Giro d'Italia winner Elisa Longo Borghini or 2025 Tour de France winner Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, just to name a few of the pre-race favourites.

And as far as Kopecky goes, there hasn't been much reason for optimism in recent months. The Belgian woman struggled through 2025, wrapping up her season already in September after a race crash. That is why Kopecky looked towards 2026 with hope in her eyes, however 39th place at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad was not what the SD Worx - Protime has been searching for.

"It is what it is. I would have loved to compete with the top athletes on the Muur van Geraardsbergen during the Omloop, but bad luck decided otherwise," she told Sporza. At least the season start on track provided a sliver of hope: "My Track European Championships were good [Kopecky won three titles in Turkey – ed.], and my training results are good too. So, I just have to trust my abilities. Although I'll have to ride my best to compete."

Like every other year, the Strade Bianche Donne startlist is filled to brim with victory adepts, and Kopecky aims to defeat all of them on the iconic sterrato sectors. "Every top rider is on the starting line, so it's going to be incredibly tough. If you can still win, it makes it even more special,"

But Kopecky is not the only racer with winning ambitions on the SD Worx selection as returnee Anna van der Breggen, herself a former Strade champion, takes to the startline after a second place in 2025. "That's fine with me. Especially in a race like the Strade, it's better not to put all your eggs in one basket."

"It's always useful to do a reconnaissance of the course. Some sections are a little different than last time. I also felt like they patched it up here and there, which made some parts a bit soggy. Hopefully it will dry out a bit, because some sections are super heavy now."

When will Kopecky be satisfied after the race? "If mechanical problems don't occur this time. So, if I've been given a fair chance. And ideally, that should end with a victory."