Lotte Kopecky set to return next week as Tour de France Femmes preparation ramps up

World Champion Lotte Kopecky will return to racing next Thursday at the Tour of Burgos (May 22–25), according to Belgian outlet Het Nieuwsblad. It marks the beginning of a crucial new chapter in her season as the Belgian star builds towards her most ambitious goal yet, a general classification tilt at the 2025 Tour de France Femmes.

After an early-season campaign that she described as “up and down,” Kopecky is shifting her focus to stage racing and long-term endurance as she prepares for her first serious attempt at the yellow jersey. The 28-year-old has been candid about the struggles that impacted her spring form, but there’s no doubting her pedigree, or her determination.

Despite delivering strong results by most riders' standards, Kopecky admitted her performances this spring fell short of her expectations. “Never reached my full potential,” she said, reflecting on a Classics season shaped by injury and mental strain.

Her winter training was compromised by a persistent knee injury, and even when she returned to racing, Kopecky revealed that the pressure of public scrutiny had weighed heavily on her confidence.

Still, she managed to show flashes of true brilliance. A commanding victory at the Tour of Flanders served as a reminder of her unmatched power on tough terrain, and her work for Lorena Wiebes at both Milano–Sanremo and Gent–Wevelgem was crucial in the team’s success. Kopecky may not have hit her own peak, but her presence was still decisive at the sharp end of major races.

Now, the attention turns to her summer schedule. After the Tour of Burgos, Kopecky will complete a high-altitude training camp in Livigno, a plan she had outlined back in January as the foundation for her Tour de France Femmes bid.

The World Champion’s presence in the Spanish mountains is designed to sharpen her climbing legs and build the endurance necessary to compete over eight days of intense stage racing. Het Nieuwsblad also reports that Kopecky is a likely starter at the Belgian National Road Race Championships in Binche on June 29. The Tour de France Femmes then begins on Saturday 26th July.

Two years ago, Kopecky finished second overall at the Tour de France Femmes, a result that shocked many, given her reputation as a Classics specialist. She held her own in the mountains and showed all-round strength that few expected. Can she take the fight to her former teammate Vollering this year?