Lotte Kopecky all in to battle Demi Vollering for Maillot Jaune at Tour de France Femmes 2025: "I've already finished 2nd at the Tour"

Lotte Kopecky is widely regarded as one of the most well-rounded riders in the entirety of the women's peloton. Bunch sprints, individual time trials, mountain top finishes, she can and has won them all. In 2025 though, the back to back world road race champion is set to embark on perhaps her biggest challenge yet, winning the Maillot Jaune at the Tour de France Femmes.

With Team SD Worx - Protime having a Grand Tour leadership vacancy following the departure of former Maillot Jaune winner Demi Vollering to FDJ - Suez over the recent off-season, Kopecky has now announced her intentions to fill that void and challenge her former teammate in the high mountains of the Tour, later this summer. "I will ride the Tour de France this year," she confirms in conversation with Eurosport, having skipped the French Grand Tour in 2024 due to her preparation for the Paris Olympic Games. "After the Spring Classics, we'll try to find the best possible way to get in the best possible shape."

Although Kopecky hasn't always been considered a GC threat for a Grand Tour, in the last two years she has finished 2nd at the Tour de France Femmes in 2023 (behind then-teammate Vollering) and 2nd at the Giro d'Italla Donne in 2024, losing out on the Maglia Rosa to Elisa Longo Borghini by just 21 seconds in the final general classification. As such, the Belgian is confident of being able to challenge for the Maillot Jaune in 2025 and potentially take the first Grand Tour victory of her already illustrious career.

"I've already finished 2nd at the Tour without proper preparation for it, so we'll see how it goes with a nice preparation," the 29-year-old concludes with optimism. "From then on, we have to see day by day how the GC is evolving."