“The longer that win takes, the more stressful it becomes” – Lotte Kopecky eases early-season pressure with first win of 2026 at Nokere Koerse

Lotte Kopecky’s victory at Nokere Koerse was not about proving her level, but about removing a pressure that had quietly built through the opening weeks of her 2026 season.

After a steady rather than spectacular start to the campaign, the Belgian finally turned progression into a result, delivering a controlled and authoritative sprint to secure her first win of the year. In doing so, she ticked off the one missing element from her early season and reset the narrative heading into the next phase of her calendar.

Speaking afterwards in conversation with Sporza, Kopecky made clear that the absence of that result had been lingering in the background. “The longer that win takes to come, the more stressful it becomes,” she said.

That pressure, while not outwardly visible, had been part of her internal process. “In a way, yes. You spend the whole winter working to show your best, and when it doesn’t happen straight away, it stays in your mind.”

Her early results reflected that dynamic. A quiet Opening Weekend and Strade Bianche were followed by a more encouraging ride at Trofeo Alfredo Binda, but the expected victory had yet to arrive. The trajectory was upward, but the confirmation had been missing.

Kopecky’s intent was clear once the race reached its decisive phase. On the cobbles of the Lange Ast, she was among those to force the selection, driving a move that included Charlotte Kool, Fleur Moors and Shari Bossuyt.

“That was the plan, to try something there, but with Kool, you know cooperation is difficult,” she explained, acknowledging the tactical limitation that ultimately brought the move back.

The race reset, but the effort was not wasted. It forced a reduced group and set up the kind of finale that suited her strengths: selective, chaotic, and dependent on timing rather than pure sprint structure.

“I had a much better feeling than the week before at Strade Bianche,” she said of her condition coming into the race. “This morning I was really motivated. We all believed in it, and this is a great day for the team.”

The final kilometres delivered exactly that scenario. With multiple teams represented and no single train fully in control, positioning became decisive on the uphill run to the line.

Kopecky entered the sprint without the numerical advantage some of her rivals held, but managed the finale with precision. “The key was not to hit the front too early,” she said. “I had a really good lead-out, but it stopped just a bit too soon. After that, I had to go from wheel to wheel.”

From there, the finish was decisive. Launching her effort inside the final 100 metres, Kopecky surged clear with authority to take the win ahead of Charlotte Kool and Lara Gillespie. “It wasn’t my most economical sprint, but it was well timed,” she added.

Beyond the result itself, the significance of the victory lay in what it removed. “It’s a relief to get that first win, and hopefully it gives me a bit more freedom now.”

With Milano-Sanremo next on her schedule, Kopecky heads into the next phase of the season with that pressure lifted and her form confirmed at exactly the right moment.