“This is my first mountain victory ever. It’s crazy" - After stunning victory on Jebel Hafeet is the anything Lotte Kopecky can't do?

Is there anything Lotte Kopecky can't do? A star of the Omnium on the track, a Classics specialist, a consistent threat in the sprints and now a mountain top winner after stage 3 of the 2024 UAE Tour Women.

“This is my first mountain victory ever. It’s crazy to win this one," said a shocked Team SD Worx - Protime leader in her post-stage interview, having fought her back up to Neve Bradbury on a thrilling final climb, before out-pacing her rival in the sprint to the line.

"I was very motivated beforehand and wanted to see how far I could get. Of course I wanted this and hoped that I could win the stage. I thought about it, but doing it is very good for self-confidence," says Kopecky who had previously shown her climbing legs in finishing second overall at the Tour de France Femmes in 2023.

"I really tried to look at it metre by metre. Your legs always hurt on this climb. It could be over in thirty seconds," she concludes. "You can blow yourself up. When Bradbury went I panicked, but I was able to come back. When I got her back, I had the confidence back that I could win. Of course this gives confidence. The classic spring is very important. This is good for confidence. The shape is good. This is a very important part of the preparation and I hope to improve further."