"That is where I lost the race": Lotte Kopecky explains the mechanical bad luck that ruined her Omloop Het Nieuwsblad

In professional cycling, good physical condition is most of the times not enough to win a race if luck is not on your side. Lotte Kopecky experienced this firsthand at the opening classic of the season, Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. A massive crash in the peloton left the rider with a damaged bicycle right before the most important climb of the day, forcing her to change bikes and resulting in a time gap that was impossible to close.

The race went wrong for the peloton just as they were approaching the famous Muur van Geraardsbergen. A large crash took place, and while Kopecky managed to stay on her bike, her equipment took a hit in the chaos.

"My derailleur was hit, which meant I couldn't shift anymore," she explained to Sporza. "Because of that, I lost contact with the group."

Kopecky quickly realized that her race for the victory was over. The impact forced her chain into a small gear, making it impossible to keep up with the high pace of the peloton on the flat roads leading to the climb.

"I realized it immediately. My gears went to the small gear and I wanted to shift to a bigger one, but that was no longer possible," she detailed.

To continue racing, Kopecky had to wait for her teammate, Elena Cecchini, and take her bicycle. However, in modern cycling, stopping for a bike change right before a major climb guarantees that you will lose your position.

"I still got Elena Cecchini's bike, but that is where I lost the race," Kopecky admitted. "At that moment you had to be at the front. If you are not there, it is difficult to move up. Let alone if you are a minute behind."

Even though the mechanical failure ruined her chances of winning, Kopecky remained calm after the finish. She said her shape is good and she knows she will have more chances very soon.

"It is a pity, because there was an ideal scenario for me with those two in front," she concluded. "But that is racing. It is part of it. My feeling is good and I will try to take that with me."