Lotte Kopecky wins Strade Bianche Donne

The Strade Bianche Donne was a great race that came down to the final few meters where Team SD Worx managed to break Annemiek van Vleuten, as their strength in numbers was used to wear out the Dutch, and Lotte Kopecky took a brilliant win that was only confirmed at Piazza del Campo.

The 136 kilometer route included the crucial sectors that the men's race will have aswell and it was always going to be a brutal race for the field through the gravel roads. EF Education-TIBCO-SVB's Emily Newsom and Uno-X Pro Cycling Team's Rebecca Koerner attacked early on to make the day's breakaway but never were they a threat to the Jumbo-Visma and Team SD Worx-led peloton.

The peloton swarmed the front of the race with 53 kilometers to go as some attacks emerged, but without any major effect in the peloton as the likes of Mavi Garcia and Floortje Mackaij spent energy on unsuccessful moves. After Colle Pinzuto SD Worx put the pressure on Van Vleuten as Lotte Kopecky attacked, however chased back by the Dutch.

At the final sector of the race, within a reduced group Annemiek van Vleuten launched a blistering attack, only to be chased by Kopecky herself, which seemed like the decisive move, similar to van Vleuten's tactics at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. With no collaboration though, the duo was caught with 8 kilometers to go where Ashleigh Moolman attacked right away, showing the team's strategy as Demi Vollering also tried, but always with the Movistar Team leader on the wheel.

Eventually, the group grew and no-one could escape the group which went into Via Santa Caterina together. Van Vleuten pushed the pace right from the base and in the steepest ramps it seemed like she was almost able to go solo, but the Belgian champions stuck to her wheel and within the streets of Siena the duo fought hard, Kopecky too the final corner in front and took the win. Teammate Ashleigh Moolman Pasio still went on to finish third, wrapping up a successful day for SD Worx.