After two months on the sidelines with a fractured vertebra, Lotte Kopecky is set to make her return to competition later this month at the Gent Six Day. The Belgian star, who races for SD Worx-Protime, crashed out of the Tour Cycliste Féminin de l’Ardèche in September, bringing her road season to an abrupt end and ruling her out of the Track World Championships.
Kopecky, 29, initially believed her injuries from the crash were minor, but further medical checks revealed a more serious spinal fracture. “A stupid crash with some painful consequences,” she wrote on Instagram after the incident. “I had to wait and see how quickly things would improve, but it didn’t go as fast as I’d hoped. It was the smartest decision to end my season and focus on recovery.”
It marked the second consecutive autumn disrupted by injury for the two-time world road champion. In 2024, a knee issue hampered her build-up to the season, and Kopecky was determined to avoid making the same mistake twice. “Last year I wanted to train again as soon as possible, but that only caused setbacks,” she said. “This time I’ve learned to be patient and let my body heal properly.”
After several weeks off the bike, Kopecky resumed light training in Lanzarote in late October and has now confirmed her return to racing at Gent’s ’t Kuipke velodrome from 18–23 November. The organisers announced her participation with a social media post captioned “Guess who’s back?”, confirming that the Belgian will line up in the women’s two-day programme on Friday and Saturday.
Kopecky will compete in the elimination race and points race, facing compatriots Shari Bossuyt, Katrijn De Clercq, Luca Vierstraete, and Marith Vanhove. She will be aiming for her fourth consecutive women’s title at the event, having won every edition since 2022.
Her return in Gent marks the first step toward rebuilding for the 2026 road season, following a challenging year in which she claimed just three victories – a significant drop from the 16 and 14 she amassed in the two seasons prior. Despite the setbacks, her third win at the Tour of Flanders remained a major highlight in 2025.
With recovery behind her and a familiar stage awaiting, the reigning Belgian champion will use the Gent Six Day as both a celebration of her comeback and the first test in her preparations for another demanding season ahead.
