The peloton experienced a historic day on Saturday with the first edition of Paris-Roubaix for women. Liv Racing rode a strong race, but did not achieve a high ranking due to bad luck in the final. Lotte Kopecky finished fifteenth. Lizzie Deignan won after an 80 km solo effort.
In the final, Lotte Kopecky had a flat tire on the cobblestones. “That puncture came at a bad moment. I had to change my bike and got the bike of Jeanne Korevaar, who was just behind me. But of course, she is much bigger than I am. I had to ride with that bike on the cobbles of Mons-en-Pévèle. That was not easy. The team car was behind me. It’s just not easy to pass the peloton with the car on the narrow cobblestones.”
Eventually Kopecky got her own spare bike and our Belgian road champion began a strong catch-up race. “I tried to make the best of it. I didn’t know how many riders were ahead of me. In hindsight, I’m glad I did. Given the circumstances, I made the most of it. It was a great experience to ride this Paris-Roubaix. It was a historic moment for our sport.”
Photo credits: Cor Vos