Lotte Kopecky not too bothered about losing rainbow jersey in Zurich: "I still have a nice Belgian jersey as an alternative"

Lotte Kopecky competes in her last race, wearing the rainbow jersey at the Tour de Romandie Féminin. She will soon face a tough course in Zurich where it won't be easy to defend the stripes, although the Belgian all-rounder doesn't give up her hopes.

"Last month it really hit me that this will be my last race in my Glasgow rainbow jersey," Kopecky told Het Nieuwsblad in an online press conference. "It’s an extra motivation to show it off again. I enjoyed riding around in it. I would prefer not to give up this jersey at the end of this month, but if it happens, I still have a nice Belgian jersey as an alternative," reminds the woman who is also the current Belgian champion.

Kopecky didn't race since the Olympic Games, but that doesn't mean she's been sitting still since then. "I haven't had so many days without a bike since the Games. I kept training. I did do a few other things to recharge my batteries: meeting up with friends, going to a café. I allowed myself to eat whatever I wanted every now and then, but I didn't gain weight. The Games were pretty tough, especially everything around them took its toll. It was a lot to stay focused the whole time."

The upcoming Tour de Romandie should therefore be an important test. "I hope to remove my doubts in the coming days, I need confirmation for myself. I felt very good at the Games but you must not forget that I had a free long taper beforehand. That is why I certainly gave myself mental rest in the past month, but not really physical."

"I want to be in good shape again at the start in Zurich, which is why I chose Romandie and not the European Road Race Championships. After the time trial there is still room for a nice training block, which I need towards the World Championships."