Belgian national champion Lotte Kopecky will be the bearer of the only equipment with the national colours this Sunday in Flandres, and she is pointing towards a strong result or even a win at the Tour de Flandres as she is part of a very strong Team SD Worx lineup.
In an interview with Rouleur, she has talked about the differences that exist this season regarding her national champion's equipment, and what it means to race the classics in them: “In the beginning of my career, every time I heard my name I knew so many fans on the side of the road were going to expect me to win the race and it gave me pressure. At this moment, I'm really trying to see it in another way. My teammates like it when people cheer me on, they say it gives them energy. I had to do something about it so it didn’t make me feel pressured anymore. At this moment, I'm really trying to enjoy it.”
Kopecky is having a strong and consistent spring so far with podium results at the Nokere Koerse and Ronde van Drenthe. Those are good indicator towards her form for the upcoming race, and her last outing at Gent-Wevelgem also brough her a fourth place.
She's finished third in Flandres back in 2020, and will be looking to improve on that tomorrow: “I really look forward to the Oude Kwaremont. That's really the coolest place on the whole course. We went there in the World Championships and that was already crazy... I think having the Koppenberg in this race is a really good thing, before we went to the Muur and then we had to come back. It was just too long in between which meant the power was out of the race,”
“There's a super strong Team SD Worx next to me. If I have a shit day on Sunday, I still have five teammates who can win every day. The trust and rapport between the riders is clear when watching how they interact with each other. The atmosphere is jovial and light, but their collective focus is clear when discussing the race," she added. After taking the biggest win of her career at Strade Bianche just under a month ago, Kopecky is eyeing more big wins from the motivation she's bringing in.
SD Worx have multiple options for the race and Kopecky is only one of them. Demi Vollering, Chantal van den Broeck-Blaak and Marlen Reusser are between the very strong lineup which can play to their advantage in the race.
“I feel really relaxed in a way because I won Strade which is a really big classic race. It gives my mind some rest, but also confidence that on a good day, yeah, I'm able to win a big race," she concludes, pointing into a mental position where she may have the advantage over some of her rivals.
Team SD Worx for Tour des Flandres WE: Lotte Kopecky, Chantal van den Broeck-Blaak, Christine Majerus, Marlen Reusser, Demi Vollering and Elena Cecchini.
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