‘I knew I was the favourite’ - Lotte Kopecky delivers on World Championships pressure to win rainbow jersey
The Belgian powered away from her rivals to land road world title in the streets of Glasgow
![Lotte Kopecky](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ZwHZxHPGqCovJ2ZnP6GzcJ-415-80.jpg)
Lotte Kopecky said that the pre-race pressure of being labelled as the favourite for the elite women’s road race at the World Championships didn’t affect her once the race got underway.
The Belgian stormed to victory in the streets of Glasgow with a powerful late attack which was simply unanswerable as the gruelling race took its toll on her rivals.
By landing the gold medal, she became the first Belgian woman since 1973 to win the world title.
Kopecky told the media, including Cycling Weekly, that after being labelled as the favourite at multiple other races this season - which she then won - the tag simply did not impact her.
“I knew I was the favourite before the race but I can't change anything about it,” she said. “So I can start to get stressed and that could get me into a downward spiral or something. But yeah, it's just how it is, it's not something that is the first time this year and the more you get into these situations, the better you can handle them.”
Earlier this year, Kopecky won both the Tour of Flanders and Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in the spring. She also took second behind SD Worx team-mate Demi Vollering at Strade Bianche.
After wrapping up her Classics campaign she explained that she then rode some of the Worlds course in order to get a closer look at the Glasgow circuit. Kopecky said that her recon ride had confirmed to her that the race was very much one that suited her attributes as a rider.
“When I saw this course and did the recon at the beginning of May I just started to believe more and more in it,” she said. “So it's amazing to be in this shape for this World Championships and to go home with this gold medal.”
Kopecky’s late attack to seal the win came just before the tough Montrose Street climb. She said that once she had crested the steep ramp, she knew the rainbow jersey was in the bag.
“I was very nervous in the beginning when we had the climb and then on the descent towards the Glasgow lap you could feel the peloton was pretty nervous," she said. "It was also a bit dangerous but then once we were in the lap, I managed to hold the position pretty well in front.
“When I got over the last climb on Montrose street [I knew the race was won]... but that was pretty painful as the race was exhausting. Once I was over the final climb with about 1.6 kilometres to the finish, I knew I just had to stay upright and the gap would grow.
“It was not easy racing, but I was happy that at the end of the day I could manage the gold.”
Last year Kopecky went close to the rainbow bands in Wollongong, Australia but was ultimately beaten by a rampant Annemiek van Vleuten. She explained that her second place in Australia wasn’t on her mind in the closing stages of the women’s road race in Glasgow.
“I was not the strongest last year in the race, it was due to circumstance that I got into the position to race for the world title, then Annemiek attacked with a very smart move to take it.
"But today I felt really good and also felt like I was one of the strongest riders in the race.
“I really feel like I've earned this because of how the race was going tactically.”
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Tom has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2022 and his news stories, rider interviews and features appear both online and in the magazine.
Since joining the team, he has reported from some of professional cycling's biggest races and events including the Tour de France and the World Championships in Glasgow. He has also covered races elsewhere across the world.
As well as on the ground reporting, Tom writes race reports from the men's and women's WorldTour and helps with coverage of UK domestic cycling.
-
How to watch the Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
Get all the information you need to watch the action of the men's and women's Olympic cycling time trial at Paris 2024
By Cat Glowinski Published
-
Ribble Cycles looking to capitalise on 'big summer of sport' with 30% off highly-rated models
Direct-to-consumer Ribble Cycles has always been rated highly among the Cycling Weekly tech team. This is our pick of the best Road, Gravel and E-bikes from their 'Summer Sale'
By Matt Ischt-Barnard Published
-
Photo finish declares Lotte Kopecky the winner of stage one of Tour of Britain Women in Llandudno
British national champion Pfeiffer Georgi rounded out the top three in North Wales with Lizzie Deignan coming in fourth
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Lotte Kopecky to miss Tour de France Femmes with Olympics the main goal
World Champion set to ride Tour of Britain Women and Giro d'Italia Donne before Paris games
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'People who know me know I'm sometimes a bit loco' - Lotte Kopecky's rise to be the best cyclist in the world
She may be ruthless on the bike, but does the world champion have a playful side too? Here's her story, from her football beginnings to skydiving over Dubai
By Tom Davidson Published
-
Lotte Kopecky: Paris-Roubaix Femmes went ‘exactly as planned’
The reigning female world champion outsprinted Elisa Balsamo and Pfeiffer Georgi in the Roubaix velodrome after a brutal day on the pavé of northern France
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Demi Vollering: Revamped Strade Bianche course could play into SD Worx's hands
Defending champion predicts ‘spicy’ race on Saturday
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Five things we learned from Opening Weekend: SD Worx are beatable, while Quick-Step still a way from Classics form
A recap on what we know now that Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne are out of the way
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
SD Worx-Protime to make a return to the Ford RideLondon Classique in 2024
‘The bar it takes to win has just gone up’ says RideLondon race director after return of Dutch super-team confirmed
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'First I focus on the Classics': Lotte Kopecky unsure of Tour de France Femmes participation in Olympic year
Belgian aiming to peak in April with Paris-Roubaix a potential target
By Tom Thewlis Published