Lotte Kopecky will enter Sunday’s World Championship time trial as the new European Champion, carrying the confidence from her latest title and the ambition for another victory.
The 28-year-old Belgian recently impressed by defeating Ellen Van Dijk by 43 seconds on a flat Limburg circuit just ten days ago. This performance showcases her excellent end-of-season form. Kopecky, the outgoing road race world champion, is aiming to be the first Belgian woman to clinch the time trial world title. Her main competitors include Olympic gold medallist Grace Brown of Australia, Ellen Van Dijk and Demi Vollering from the Netherlands, and the USA’s Chloé Dygert.
Cyclingnews captured Kopecky’s enthusiastic outlook during the Belgian pre-race press conference this week. “The European Championship was important for me,” Kopecky said. “The time trial at the Paris Games felt good despite my fall, and the European Championships confirmed my progression. I hope it continues at the World Championships.”
She added, “I’ll try to follow the plan we’ve drawn up, but form on the day determines a lot. I’d be very happy with a podium place, that’s what I’ve set my sights on, but the recent European Championship gave me confidence. I think a podium is definitely possible if I have a super day.”
Photo Credit: GettyThe Zurich course spans 29.9km, featuring a rolling first half and a 2.4km gradual climb to Uetikon am See, which marks the first intermediate time check.
“A climb in a big time trial is something new to me, but it’s not a disadvantage,” Kopecky stated. She rode the course on Friday and plans to return for the official closed-road reconnaissance on Saturday. “It is not super technical, certainly not the beginning and end, but there are two or three tough climbs with fast descents that you have to ride carefully but at high speed, even on some blind spots.”
Kopecky is a versatile cyclist, having competed on the road and track at the Paris Olympics. She is still exploring her capabilities in time trials while working to improve. She has already won Strade Bianche, the Tour of Flanders, several stages in the Tour de France, and classifications at other stage races. She realises that excelling in time trials is crucial for stage race success and a potential shot at the General Classification of the Tour de France Femmes.
Her improvement is evident since winning six consecutive time trial titles at the Belgian Championships, finishing fifth in the 2023 European Championships, and securing third in the 2023 Tour de France Femmes time trial.
“I have never been on my time trial bike as much as in the past few months. I am starting to enjoy it more and more,” she explained. “I’m not the favourite; I think the world title will go to Chloé Dygert, who can also ride well on the climb, or maybe Grace Brown, too. I include Demi Vollering among the podium candidates but hope to be amongst them, too.”
Main photo credit: Getty
