Lotte Kopecky, the reigning world champion, is gearing up for a busy spring season, with her sights set on not only the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège but also the upcoming Olympic Games. In preparation for Tokyo, Kopecky will take on the Giro d’Italia Women, as revealed by Danny Stam, the sporting manager at SD Worx-Protime.
Stam outlined their strategy, stating, “Lotte will ride the Giro. It’s an ideal race for her to target stage wins and improve. Lotte won’t be going on altitude training camps before the Games. We’ll stay at sea level and aim to build her up to her peak form through stage races.”
The Giro d’Italia Women, scheduled from the 7th to the 14th of July, concludes thirteen days before the Olympic time trial in Paris. Last year, Kopecky opted out of the Italian race, opting instead for the Tour de France Femmes where she wore the yellow jersey and finished 2nd on GC. However, in 2019, 2020, and 2022, she competed in the Giro d’Italia Women. Notably, in 2020, she secured her first Women’s WorldTour-level victory there.
As for whether Kopecky will participate in the Tour de France this year, Stam admits uncertainty. The Tour de France Femmes begins on August 12th in Rotterdam, just one day after the omnium event at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Stam emphasised, “There’s no long list for the Tour yet because certain riders are injured, and it’s unclear if they’ll recover in time. After Liège-Bastogne-Liège, I’ll sit down with Lotte and discuss the Tour. Ultimately, her desires are paramount.”
Kopecky’s participation in the Tour de France remains undecided, but her focus remains clear as she prepares to represent Belgium on the world stage.
