“The fifth edition will be completely different from the previous years” – Team SD Worx - Protime expect new challenge for Lotte Kopecky at Paris-Roubaix
Cycling
Fresh off her record-breaking third victory at the Tour of
Flanders, Lotte Kopecky is already shifting focus to her next major goal:
Paris–Roubaix. The World Champion has completed a recon of the course this week
as she prepares to chase an iconic Monument double.
Kopecky is no stranger to the punishing pavé of Northern
France. She has started all four previous editions of the women’s Paris–Roubaix
and claimed victory in last year’s race. But 2025 presents a special
opportunity, to win both Flanders and Roubaix in the same season.
“We pushed hard on the cobblestones, but because the Tour of
Flanders is still fresh in our legs, we took it easy on the intermediate
sections,” said SD Worx–Protime manager Danny Stam in an interview with HLN.
Stam noted that the conditions for the fifth edition of the
race could bring new challenges.
“The fifth edition will be completely different from the
previous years, but that doesn’t make it any less dangerous. There is a lot of
dust in the bends of the cobblestone sections, and the edge between the
cobblestones and the grass is often easy to ride on, which means there is a big
chance of falls if someone wants to jump off the edge back onto the
cobblestones," he explained.
Adding to the unpredictability is the wind forecast, which
could impact how the race unfolds.
“According to the weather forecast, the wind will turn a bit
during the weekend and on Saturday, it will blow more in the side or even
slightly in the advantage, which also means there is a chance of echelons.”
Kopecky was in marvellous form at the weekend, and will
hoping to defend her title in style. But there’s no guarantees on the cobbles,
and she’ll have to be at her incredible best once again.
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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